Event 1978 FIFA World Cup Attendance 71,483 | Date 25 June 1978 | |
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Champion Argentina national football team Location Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, Buenos Aires, Argentina Venue Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti Referee Sergio Gonella (Italian Football Federation) Similar 1974 FIFA World Cup Final, 1934 FIFA World Cup Final, 1962 FIFA World Cup Final, 1938 FIFA World Cup Final, 1930 FIFA World Cup Final | ||
The 1978 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match played to determine the winner of the 1978 FIFA World Cup. The match was contested by hosts Argentina and the Netherlands, in the biggest stadium used in the tournament and in Argentina, the Estadio Monumental in the Argentine capital city of Buenos Aires. The match was won by the Argentine squad in extra time by a score of 3–1. Mario Kempes, who finished as the tournament's top scorer, was named the man of the match. The Netherlands lost their second World Cup final in a row, both times to the host nation, after losing to West Germany in 1974.
Match summary
The start of the final was mired in some controversy, as the Dutch accused the Argentines of using stalling tactics to delay the match, that allowed tension to build in front of a hostile Buenos Aires crowd. In the first instance, the host team came out five minutes later after the audience was whipped into a frenzy. The Argentines also questioned the legality of a plaster cast on René van de Kerkhof's wrist, despite him having worn it in earlier games without objections which caused the Dutch to threaten to walk off the pitch. Ending up the Italian referee Sergio Gonella upheld the complaints and forced van de Kerkhof to apply extra bandage. The Netherlands refused to attend the post-match ceremonies after the match ended.