# 1974 FIFA World Cup Group A

Group A was one of two groups in the second group stage of the 1974 FIFA World Cup finals. It was the first time that this stage of the competition (equivalent to the quarter-finals) was played in a group format. Matches were played in three cities (Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen and Hanover) between 26 June and 3 July 1974. The group was composed of the winners of Groups 1 and 3 from the first group stage (East Germany and Netherlands), and the runners-up of Groups 2 and 4 (Brazil and Argentina).
The Netherlands won the group after winning all three of their matches to qualify for the final, while Brazil won their matches against East Germany and Argentina to finish in second place and qualify for the third-place play-off. East Germany and Argentina drew their match to finish level on one point, but East Germany's superior goal difference meant they finished the higher of the two.

## Qualified teams

The winners of Group 1 and 3 and the runners-up of Group 2 and 4 qualified for Group A of the second round.
| Group | Winners |
| 1 | East Germany |
| 3 | Netherlands |
| Group | Runners-up |
| 2 | Brazil |
| 4 | Argentina |

## Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Netherlands | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | +8 | 6 | Advance to final |
| 2 | Brazil | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | Advance to third place play-off |
| 3 | East Germany | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 1 | |
| 4 | Argentina | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | −5 | 1 | |

## Matches

All times listed are local (CET)

### Netherlands vs Argentina

| Netherlands | Argentina |
Jan Jongbloed :
| DF | 6 | Wim Jansen |
| DF | 12 | Ruud Krol |
| DF | 17 | Wim Rijsbergen |
| DF | 20 | Wim Suurbier | 58' | 84' |
| MF | 2 | Arie Haan |
| MF | 3 | Willem van Hanegem |
| MF | 13 | Johan Neeskens | 22' |
| FW | 14 | Johan Cruyff (c) |
| FW | 15 | Rob Rensenbrink |
| FW | 16 | Johnny Rep |
| Substitutions: |||
| DF | 5 | Rinus Israël | | 84' |
| Manager: |||
| Rinus Michels ||||
Daniel Carnevali :
| DF | 10 | Ramón Heredia |
| DF | 14 | Roberto Perfumo (c) | 35' |
| DF | 16 | Francisco Sá |
| MF | 20 | Enrique Wolff | | 46' |
| MF | 11 | René Houseman | | 46' |
| MF | 17 | Carlos Squeo |
| FW | 18 | Roberto Telch |
| FW | 2 | Rubén Ayala |
| FW | 4 | Agustín Balbuena |
| FW | 22 | Héctor Yazalde |
| Substitutions: |||
| DF | 9 | Rubén Glaria | | 46' |
| FW | 13 | Mario Kempes | | 46' |
| Manager: |||
| Vladislao Cap ||||
* Assistant referees:
* Kurt Tschenscher (West Germany)
* Pavel Kazakov (Soviet Union)

### Brazil vs East Germany

| Brazil | East Germany |
Leão :
| DF | 2 | Luís Pereira |
| DF | 3 | Marinho Peres |
| DF | 4 | Zé Maria |
| DF | 6 | Marinho Chagas |
| MF | 10 | Rivellino |
| MF | 11 | Caju |
| MF | 17 | Carpegiani | 28' |
| MF | 7 | Jairzinho | 27' |
| FW | 13 | Valdomiro |
| FW | 21 | Dirceu | 75' |
| Manager: |||
| Mário Zagallo ||||
Jürgen Croy :
| DF | 3 | Bernd Bransch (c) |
| DF | 4 | Konrad Weise |
| DF | 12 | Siegmar Wätzlich |
| DF | 18 | Gerd Kische |
| MF | 2 | Lothar Kurbjuweit |
| MF | 13 | Reinhard Lauck | | 64' |
| MF | 17 | Erich Hamann | 11' | 46' |
| FW | 11 | Joachim Streich | 84' |
| FW | 14 | Jürgen Sparwasser |
| FW | 20 | Martin Hoffmann |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | 16 | Harald Irmscher | | 46' |
| FW | 8 | Wolfram Löwe | | 64' |
| Manager: |||
| Georg Buschner ||||
* Assistant referees:
* Doğan Babacan (Turkey)
* Tony Boskovic (Australia)

### Argentina vs Brazil

| Argentina | Brazil |
| GK | 1 | Daniel Carnevali |
| DF | 5 | Ángel Bargas |
| DF | 9 | Rubén Glaria |
| DF | 10 | Ramón Heredia |
| DF | 16 | Francisco Sá | | 46' |
| MF | 3 | Carlos Babington |
| MF | 6 | Miguel Ángel Brindisi (c) |
| MF | 17 | Carlos Squeo |
| FW | 2 | Rubén Ayala |
| FW | 4 | Agustín Balbuena |
| FW | 13 | Mario Kempes | | 46' |
| Substitutions: ||
| DF | 7 | Jorge Carrascosa | | 46' |
| MF | 11 | René Houseman | 72' | 46' |
| Manager: ||
| Vladislao Cap ||
Leão :
| DF | 2 | Luís Pereira |
| DF | 3 | Marinho Peres |
| DF | 4 | Zé Maria |
| DF | 6 | Marinho Chagas |
| MF | 10 | Rivellino |
| MF | 11 | Caju |
| MF | 17 | Carpegiani |
| FW | 7 | Jairzinho |
| FW | 13 | Valdomiro |
| FW | 21 | Dirceu |
| Manager: |||
| Mário Zagallo ||||
* Assistant referees:
* Youssou N'Diaye (Sénégal)
* Jack Taylor (England)

### East Germany vs Netherlands

| East Germany | Netherlands |
| GK | 1 | Jürgen Croy |
| DF | 2 | Lothar Kurbjuweit |
| DF | 3 | Bernd Bransch (c) |
| DF | 4 | Konrad Weise |
| DF | 18 | Gerd Kische |
| MF | 6 | Rüdiger Schnuphase |
| MF | 7 | Jürgen Pommerenke |
| MF | 13 | Reinhard Lauck | 64' |
| FW | 8 | Wolfram Löwe | 54' |
| FW | 14 | Jürgen Sparwasser |
| FW | 20 | Martin Hoffmann |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 9 | Peter Ducke | 54' |
| FW | 10 | Hans-Jürgen Kreische | 64' |
| Manager: ||
| Georg Buschner ||
| GK | 8 | Jan Jongbloed |
| DF | 6 | Wim Jansen |
| DF | 12 | Ruud Krol |
| DF | 17 | Wim Rijsbergen |
| DF | 20 | Wim Suurbier |
| MF | 2 | Arie Haan |
| MF | 3 | Willem van Hanegem |
| MF | 13 | Johan Neeskens |
| FW | 14 | Johan Cruyff (c) |
| FW | 15 | Rob Rensenbrink |
| FW | 16 | Johnny Rep |
| Manager: ||
| Rinus Michels ||
* Assistant referees:
* Erich Linemayr (Austria)
* Omar Delgado Gómez (Colombia)

### Argentina vs East Germany

| Argentina | East Germany |
Ubaldo Fillol :
| DF | 5 | Ángel Bargas |
| DF | 7 | Jorge Carrascosa |
| DF | 10 | Ramón Heredia |
| DF | 20 | Enrique Wolff (c) |
| MF | 6 | Miguel Ángel Brindisi |
| MF | 11 | René Houseman |
| MF | 18 | Roberto Telch |
| FW | 2 | Rubén Ayala |
| FW | 3 | Carlos Babington |
| FW | 13 | Mario Kempes |
| Manager: |||
| Vladislao Cap ||||
Jürgen Croy :
| DF | 2 | Lothar Kurbjuweit |
| DF | 3 | Bernd Bransch (c) |
| DF | 4 | Konrad Weise |
| DF | 18 | Gerd Kische |
| MF | 6 | Rüdiger Schnuphase |
| MF | 7 | Jürgen Pommerenke |
| MF | 8 | Wolfram Löwe | | 65' |
| MF | 11 | Joachim Streich | | 80' |
| FW | 14 | Jürgen Sparwasser | 23' |
| FW | 20 | Martin Hoffmann |
| Substitutions: |||
| FW | 15 | Eberhard Vogel | | 65' |
| FW | 9 | Peter Ducke | | 80' |
| Manager: |||
| Georg Buschner ||||
* Assistant referees:
* Mahmoud Mustafa Kamel (Egypt)
* Clive Thomas (Wales)

### Netherlands vs Brazil

| Netherlands | Brazil |
| GK | 8 | Jan Jongbloed |
| DF | 6 | Wim Jansen |
| DF | 12 | Ruud Krol |
| DF | 17 | Wim Rijsbergen |
| DF | 20 | Wim Suurbier | 29' |
| MF | 2 | Arie Haan |
| MF | 3 | Willem van Hanegem |
| MF | 13 | Johan Neeskens | | 85' |
| FW | 14 | Johan Cruyff (c) |
| FW | 15 | Rob Rensenbrink | | 67' |
| FW | 16 | Johnny Rep | 69' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 7 | Theo de Jong | | 67' |
| DF | 5 | Rinus Israel | | 85' |
| Manager: ||
| Rinus Michels ||
Leão :
| DF | 2 | Luís Pereira | 29' 84' |
| DF | 3 | Marinho Peres | 44' |
| DF | 4 | Zé Maria | 37' |
| DF | 6 | Marinho Chagas |
| MF | 10 | Rivellino |
| MF | 11 | Caju | | 61' |
| MF | 17 | Carpegiani |
| MF | 7 | Jairzinho |
| MF | 13 | Valdomiro |
| FW | 21 | Dirceu |
| Substitutions: |||
| FW | 19 | Mirandinha | | 61' |
| Manager: |||
| Mário Zagallo ||||
* Assistant referees:
* Bobby Davidson (Scotland)
* Govindasamy Suppiah (Singapore)