Poland 1974
Poland at West Germany 1974 announced themselves as one of the great sides of the decade. Grzegorz Lato won the Golden Boot with 7 goals, and a team that blended technical skill with ruthless finishing swept all before them in the group stage including a 3-2 victory over Argentina and a thrilling 7-0 demolition of Haiti. In the second group phase, Poland beat Sweden and Yugoslavia to set up a decisive match against hosts West Germany for a place in the final. On a waterlogged pitch in Frankfurt which Poland argued should not have been played on the Germans won 1-0 through a Gerd Müller goal. Poland's flowing football was neutralised by the mud, and many Poles believe to this day that a dry pitch would have carried them to the final. They finished third a superb achievement, but one tinged with the frustration of knowing they were perhaps good enough to win it all.
