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Another host triumph as the West Germans took the new FIFA World Cup™ for the first time with a quite exceptional display of the hard-running, interchanging style in a tournament remembered for the arrival of “total football”.

The Netherlands, with Johan Cruyff outstanding, beat Argentina 4-0 and Brazil 2-0 to announce their arrival, but could not overcome West Germany in the final and went down 2-1, Gerd Müller, “Der Bomber’, typically scoring the winner.

Final: Germany - Netherlands 2-1

The ninth FIFA World Cupâ„¢ also became a major TV spectacle and to fit in with television company requests, some matches kicked off at 12 noon. This was an unpopular decision with many players and managers because of the intense heat in Mexico at that time of day.

There was none of the violence throughout the tournament that had plagued the two previous competitions. The 1970 FIFA World Cup passed without a single player being sent off, equalling the 1950 FIFA World Cup record. For the first time substitutes were allowed, as well as yellow and red cards being introduced.

Final: Brazil - Italy 4-1

Since its launch in 1930, the FIFA World Cup™ had grown in stature to become clearly the world’s senior international football tournament.

After the Jules Rimet Trophy was stolen while on display in London, the hosts triumphed again when it was recovered by a dog called Pickles under a bush in a suburban front garden in south London a few days later.

Final: England - Germany 4-2 E.T.

Another Brazilian triumph, but Pelé played in only the opening game against Mexico before being injured. Brazil beat Czechoslovakia 3-1 in the final in Santiago with goals from Amarildo, Zito and Vava. The tournament also staged one of the most notorious matches in FIFA World Cup™ history - the Battle of Santiago between Italy and Chile, in which two Italians were sent off and one had his nose broken by a solid left-hook from a Chilean player.

Final: Brazil - Czechoslovakia 3-1