page_title: Germany national football team
section_title: 1974 World Cup title on home soil
hierarchical_section_title: Germany national football team / History / 1974 World Cup title on home soil
caption_attribution_description: For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme. ADN-ZB-Mittelstädt-16.7.74-wen-München: X. Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft- Endspiel BRD gegen Niederlande 2:1 am 7.7.74- Johannes Cruyff (Niederlande, Mitte) setzt sich hier gegen die beiden BRD-Spieler Berti Vogts (2.von links) und Uli Hoeness (rechts) durch.
context_page_description: The Germany national football team represents Germany in men's international football and played its first match in 1908. The team is governed by the German Football Association, founded in 1900. Between 1949 and 1990, separate German national teams were recognised by FIFA due to Allied occupation and division: the DFB's team representing the Federal Republic of Germany, the Saarland team representing the Saar Protectorate and the East German team representing the German Democratic Republic. The latter two were absorbed along with their records; the present team represents the reunified Federal Republic. The official name and code "Germany FR" was shortened to "Germany" following reunification in 1990.
  Germany is one of the most successful national teams in international competitions, having won four World Cups, three European Championships, and one Confederations Cup. They have also been runners-up three times in the European Championships, four times in the World Cup, and a further four third-place finishes at World Cups. East Germany won Olympic Gold in 1976.
  Germany is the only nation to have won both the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women's World Cup.
context_section_description: In 1971, Franz Beckenbauer became captain of the national team, and he led West Germany to victory at the European Championship at Euro 1972, defeating the Soviet Union 3–0 in the final.
  As hosts of the 1974 World Cup, they won their second World Cup, defeating the Netherlands 2–1 in the final in Munich.
  Two matches in the 1974 World Cup stood out for West Germany. The first group stage saw a politically charged match as West Germany played a game against East Germany. The East Germans won 1–0. The West Germans advanced to the final against the Johan Cruijff-led Dutch team and their brand of "Total Football". The Dutch took the lead from a penalty. However, West Germany tied the match on a penalty by Paul Breitner, and won it with Gerd Müller's fine finish soon after.
caption: 1974 FIFA World Cup Final on 7 July 1974, in Munich (Olympiastadion)
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