TOURNAMENT LEGACY

West Germany won their second World Cup title, defeating the Netherlands 2-1 in the final. The tournament introduced a new format: after the group stage, the top two teams from each group advanced to a second group stage (called the 'Round of 8'), with the winners of the two second-stage groups facing off in the final. This was the first World Cup to feature the iconic Adidas Telstar Durlast ball. The Netherlands, led by Johan Cruyff and playing 'Total Football', reached their first final but fell short. Poland's Grzegorz Lato was the top scorer, while East Germany achieved their best World Cup finish (6th) before reunification. The tournament also saw the debut of the official FIFA World Cup mascot, 'Tip and Tap', two boys dressed in West German colors.