SEASON
1978 FIFA World Cup
Overview
The 1978 FIFA World Cup was hosted by Argentina. Argentina won the tournament, Netherlands finished runners-up, Brazil placed third and Italy fourth. Footballopedia links this edition to its decisive matches, leading scorer, champion manager and the wider World Cup knowledge graph.
Key facts
- Host
- Argentina
- Champion
- Argentina
- Runner-up
- Netherlands
- Third place
- Brazil
- Fourth place
- Italy
- Format
- First group stage followed by two second-round groups; group winners advanced to the final
- Top scorer
- Mario Kempes (Argentina) - 6 goals
- Winning manager
- César Luis Menotti
- Matches
- 38
- Goals
- 102
- Current season
- 1978
- Teams
- 16
Records
ChampionValue: Argentina
Runner-upValue: Netherlands
Third placeValue: Brazil
Top scorerValue: Mario Kempes (Argentina) - 6 goals
TeamsValue: 16
MatchesValue: 38
GoalsValue: 102
Matches
Italy 2-1 FranceDate: 1978-06-02 · City: Mar del Plata · Stage: Group A · Home Team: Italy
Argentina 2-1 HungaryDate: 1978-06-02 · City: Buenos Aires · Stage: Group A · Home Team: Argentina
Italy 3-1 HungaryDate: 1978-06-06 · City: Mar del Plata · Stage: Group A · Home Team: Italy
Argentina 2-1 FranceDate: 1978-06-06 · City: Buenos Aires · Stage: Group A · Home Team: Argentina
France 3-1 HungaryDate: 1978-06-10 · City: Mar del Plata · Stage: Group A · Home Team: France
Argentina 0-1 ItalyDate: 1978-06-10 · City: Buenos Aires · Stage: Group A · Home Team: Argentina
West Germany 0-0 PolandDate: 1978-06-01 · City: Buenos Aires · Stage: Group B · Home Team: West Germany
Tunisia 3-1 MexicoDate: 1978-06-02 · City: Rosario · Stage: Group B · Home Team: Tunisia
Poland 1-0 TunisiaDate: 1978-06-06 · City: Rosario · Stage: Group B · Home Team: Poland
West Germany 6-0 MexicoDate: 1978-06-06 · City: Cordoba · Stage: Group B · Home Team: West Germany
Poland 3-1 MexicoDate: 1978-06-10 · City: Rosario · Stage: Group B · Home Team: Poland
West Germany 0-0 TunisiaDate: 1978-06-10 · City: Cordoba · Stage: Group B · Home Team: West Germany
Austria 2-1 SpainDate: 1978-06-03 · City: Buenos Aires · Stage: Group C · Home Team: Austria
Brazil 1-1 SwedenDate: 1978-06-03 · City: Mar del Plata · Stage: Group C · Home Team: Brazil
Austria 1-0 SwedenDate: 1978-06-07 · City: Buenos Aires · Stage: Group C · Home Team: Austria
Brazil 0-0 SpainDate: 1978-06-07 · City: Mar del Plata · Stage: Group C · Home Team: Brazil
Spain 1-0 SwedenDate: 1978-06-11 · City: Buenos Aires · Stage: Group C · Home Team: Spain
Brazil 1-0 AustriaDate: 1978-06-11 · City: Mar del Plata · Stage: Group C · Home Team: Brazil
Peru 3-1 ScotlandDate: 1978-06-03 · City: Cordoba · Stage: Group D · Home Team: Peru
Netherlands 3-0 IranDate: 1978-06-03 · City: Mendoza · Stage: Group D · Home Team: Netherlands
Scotland 1-1 IranDate: 1978-06-07 · City: Cordoba · Stage: Group D · Home Team: Scotland
Peru 0-0 NetherlandsDate: 1978-06-07 · City: Mendoza · Stage: Group D · Home Team: Peru
Peru 4-1 IranDate: 1978-06-11 · City: Cordoba · Stage: Group D · Home Team: Peru
Scotland 3-2 NetherlandsDate: 1978-06-11 · City: Mendoza · Stage: Group D · Home Team: Scotland
West Germany 0-0 ItalyDate: 1978-06-14 · City: Buenos Aires · Stage: Second phase Group 1 · Home Team: West Germany
Netherlands 5-1 AustriaDate: 1978-06-14 · City: Cordoba · Stage: Second phase Group 1 · Home Team: Netherlands
West Germany 2-2 NetherlandsDate: 1978-06-18 · City: Cordoba · Stage: Second phase Group 1 · Home Team: West Germany
Italy 1-0 AustriaDate: 1978-06-18 · City: Buenos Aires · Stage: Second phase Group 1 · Home Team: Italy
Netherlands 2-1 ItalyDate: 1978-06-21 · City: Buenos Aires · Stage: Second phase Group 1 · Home Team: Netherlands
Austria 3-2 West GermanyDate: 1978-06-21 · City: Cordoba · Stage: Second phase Group 1 · Home Team: Austria
Brazil 3-0 PeruDate: 1978-06-14 · City: Mendoza · Stage: Second phase Group 2 · Home Team: Brazil
Argentina 2-0 PolandDate: 1978-06-14 · City: Rosario · Stage: Second phase Group 2 · Home Team: Argentina
Poland 1-0 PeruDate: 1978-06-18 · City: Mendoza · Stage: Second phase Group 2 · Home Team: Poland
Argentina 0-0 BrazilDate: 1978-06-18 · City: Rosario · Stage: Second phase Group 2 · Home Team: Argentina
Brazil 3-1 PolandDate: 1978-06-21 · City: Mendoza · Stage: Second phase Group 2 · Home Team: Brazil
Argentina 6-0 PeruDate: 1978-06-21 · City: Rosario · Stage: Second phase Group 2 · Home Team: Argentina
Brazil 2-1 ItalyDate: 1978-06-24 · City: Buenos Aires · Stage: Third-place match · Home Team: Brazil
Argentina 3-1 NetherlandsDate: 1978-06-25 · City: Buenos Aires · Stage: Final · Home Team: Argentina
Tournament story
Argentina won its first World Cup.
Mario Kempes scored twice in the final and finished as tournament top scorer with six goals.
The Netherlands finished runners-up for the second consecutive World Cup.
Final / decisive match
- Home
- Argentina
- Away
- Netherlands
- Home Score
- 3
- Away Score
- 1
- Venue
- Estadio Monumental
- City
- Buenos Aires
- Date
- 1978-06-25
- Extra Time
- 1
Third-place match
- Home
- Brazil
- Away
- Italy
- Home Score
- 2
- Away Score
- 1
- Venue
- Estadio Monumental
- City
- Buenos Aires
- Date
- 1978-06-24