World Cup Final June 25 1978 ­ Argentina v Holland

Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires
Argentina 3 (Kempes 38, 105, Bertoni 116) Holland 1 (Nanninga 82) (After Extra Time)

Argentina: Fillol, Olguin, Tarantini, Ardiles (Larossa 66), Passarella, Galvan, Bertoni, Ortiz (Houseman 75), Luque, Kempes, Gallego.

Holland: Jongbloed, Poortvliet, Krol , Brandts, Jansen (Suurbier 73), Haan, Neeskens, W. Van der Kerkhof, R. Van der Kerkhof, Rep (Nanninga 59), Rensenbrink.

Referee: Sergio Gonella (Italy)
Yellow Cards: Ardiles, Larossa, Krol, Poortvliet

Mario Kempes was Argentina's hero as the host nation eventually beat Holland 3-1 after extra-time to clinch the World Cup for the first time. He scored the first two goals and set up the third in what was a controversial game in a controversial tournament.

Before the kick-off Argentina complained to FIFA about the choice of Israel's Abraham Klein as referee and Italian Sergio Gonella was appointed instead. They then refused to start the game until Rene van der Kerkhof removed a lightweight cast from his arm.

After a ten-minute delay the match finally got underway. Kempes' first-half goal looked to have given the Argentine's the trophy until a late headed equaliser by Dutch substitute Dick Nanninga sent the match into extra-time. Indeed Holland almost won the match in the last minute only for the woodwork to save the hosts.

Kempes scored a brilliant solo effort in extra-time, his sixth of the tournament, to give Argentina the upper-hand and the tournament's top scorer then weaved his way through the Dutch defence minutes later to set up Daniel Bertoni for the third.

Whether Argentina should actually have been in the final was debatable. A controversial 6-0 win against a lethargic looking Peru was enough to send them into the final at the expense of Brazil on goal difference. But the questions about the match's authenticity continue to this day.

The choice of Argentina as host nation was also very risky. Two years earlier an estimated 5,000 people had been killed in a military coup and some European nations thought about boycotting the tournament.

Scotland provided some light relief. After winger Willie Johnston was sent home after failing a drugs test, Ally MacLeod's 'Tartan Army' contrived to lose to Peru and draw with Iran. Despite a tremendous 3-2 win against Holland the damage had been done as Scotland made their customary first round exit.