1974, Riva's last World Cup. Germany stop Crujff's Clockwork Orange

Brazil 2014

SERIE A STARS IN THE WORLD CUP One of the strongest Italian strikers ever played his last game for Italy in the edition hosted by West Germany. He's still the Azzurri's top goalscorer

by Federico Formica

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As happened four years earlier, the World Cup was hosted by a country doing a “double” with the Olympic Games. This time West Germany hosted the World Cup, two years after the Munich Olympics of 1972. Those Olympics are sadly remembered for the terrorist attact by a Palestinian commando on the Israeli athletes, which ended with 17 casualties. For that reason, Germany '74 was the first World Cup ever affected by a (justifiable) obsession for security. The German World Cup was the first one to have a brand new trophy at stake: a cup designed by the Italian Silvio Gazzaniga which is still in use today. In that World Cup the structure also changed: there were now two group stages. In the second group phase, the winners of their respective groups would play the final. Italy was eliminated in the first group due to an adverse goal difference, although the Azzurri had been considered as favourites, together with Brazil.

Italy was a strong side but the main talents of that team were at the end of their careers: Riva, Rivera, Facchetti and Burgnich, for example. The true protagonist of that World Cup was the Netherlands. A team led by the legendary Johan Cruijff, with Johan Neeskens, Rob Rensenbrink and Johnny Rep. The team – nicknamed “Clockwork Orange” - played a football that no one had never seen before: the goalkeeper was an active player on the pitch, the full backs attacked on the flanks, midfielders cut inside the penalty box. The pillars of the Netherlands' philosophy were zonal defending and a frequent application of the offside tactic. After having won the first group, the Oranje crushed Argentina 4-0 and beat both East Germany and Brazil 2-0. No doubt that they were the strongest team of the tournament, but in spite of that they lost the final against West Germany.

Germany were a less spectacular side, but they were a very gifted side: two years earlier they easily won an European Championship with aces like Beckenbauer, Muller, Vogts, Breitner and Hoeness. The final of 1974 World Cup was the clash between two different schools of thought: the revolutionary Dutch Total Football against a more classic and pragmatic football carried out by the Teutonics. Germany won the match, overturning the opener scored from the penalty spot by Neeskens after two minutes. Breitner (with another penalty) and Muller completed a masterpiece of tactic slyness and mental solidity. The Dutch side, led by a Maestro like coach Rinus Michels, didn't win, but they changed football forever.

Gigi Riva, 1944, 42 caps and 35 goals for Italy. The German World Cup was the last chapter of Gigi Riva's affair with the Italian nazionale. Rombo di Tuono (thunderclap) was one of the greatest Italian strikers ever. Today, Riva's career would be unimaginable for a top player as he was, as he remained at Cagliari, a provincial team, for his entire career in spite of the rich offers he received, especially from Juventus. But he won his personal challenge as he won a memorable title with Cagliari in 1970. Bizzarely, the goal scorer from Leggiuno was rejected by Inter after a test when he was 18. Riva was a powerful left winger that loved to cut inside, but he often played as an authentic centre-forward.

Riva's principal weapon was his shot: precise, terrifically powerful and, unfailingly, left-footed. Riva never used his right foot, not even for the easiest pass. His strong physical side was – at the same time - his main weakness. Riva suffered two serious injuries (both occurred while he was playing for Italy) and a series of minor problems, that culminated with a muscular injury in 1976, that ended his career. Riva was only 31 years old when he hung up his boots. The two main trophies won by Riva were Serie A in 1970 and the European Championship with Italy in 1968. But he also obtained many individual achievements: he was Serie A best goalscorer in 1966-67, 1968-69 and 1969-70. Above all, he's still the best goalscorer of Italian national team: 35 goals in 42 caps.