TheMoreYouKnow
Registered User
Even in German footy circles it is a majority opinion that 74 was luck.
I want to throw the 1990 german team into the discussion. No weaknesses.
You mean the 11Freunde set? Yeah the types who wouldn't have been seen supporting the national team pre-2006. Eff them.
And to answer the point: It's a single elimination final. Holland went up on a pen in like the 3rd minute. They really had no excuse to lose that if they were as good as the hype indicated. Being a top team also means coming through in those key moments. Of course, Holland typically lacked that killer instinct and that's what kept them from being a truly great side. Holland were the most *interesting* side of the 70s and with Cruyff one of the most interesting all-time, sure, and that what appeals to sports writers and self-described sophisticated fans, but at the end of the day the W is what matters. And Beckenbauer lifted the World Cup.