The knockout stage of 1978 FIFA World Cup was a single-elimination tournament involving the four teams that qualified from the second group stage of the tournament. There were two matches: a match for third place contested by the group runners-up, and the final to decide the champions, contested by the group winners. The knockout stage began with the match for third place on 24 June and ended with the final on 25 June 1978, both at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. Argentina won the tournament with a 3–1 victory over the Netherlands.
Qualified teams The top two placed teams from each of the two groups of the second round qualified for the knockout stage.
Group Winners(qualification for final) Runners-up(qualification for match for third place) A B
Match for third place
As of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, this is the most recent time when the match for third place was won by a non-European team.
GK 1 Émerson Leão (c)RB 13 Nelinho CB 3 OscarCB 4 AmaralLB 16 Rodrigues NetoDM 17 Batista CM 5 Toninho Cerezo CM 11 DirceuAM 19 Jorge MendonçaRW 18 Gil CF 20 Roberto DinamiteSubstitutions:CF 9 Reinaldo CM 10 Rivelino Manager:Cláudio Coutinho GK 1 Dino Zoff (c)DF 6 Aldo MalderaDF 3 Antonio CabriniDF 5 Claudio Gentile DF 8 Gaetano ScireaMF 4 Antonello CuccuredduMF 13 Patrizio SalaMF 9 Giancarlo Antognoni MF 16 Franco CausioCF 18 Roberto BettegaCF 21 Paolo RossiSubstitutions:MF 17 Claudio Sala Manager:Enzo Bearzot
Assistant referees: Alfonso González Archundia (Mexico) Károly Palotai (Hungary)
Final
References
Match reports
External links 1978 FIFA World Cup archive