On Sunday, for the third time, the Netherlands is playing in the FIFA World Cup final. The first two appearances, in 1974 and 1978, earned the players glory but no cup. Now, 32 years after the last final in Argentina, the Dutch team has an unprecedented chance to climb out from the shadow of an earlier, much-praised footballing generation. Third time lucky?

7 July 1974: the Netherlands vs. West Germany
The Dutch team, headed by Johan Cruijff, Johan Neeskens and Willem van Hanegem, had made a big impression in the preceding matches with fluid combination playing and frequent changes of position. And when the final began, it got off to a good start with a successful penalty by Johan Neeskens in just the first minute. But Germany soon equalised with a penalty of their own. Then, close to the end of the first half, fate caught up with the Dutch in the shape of Germany’s Gerd Müller, nicknamed The Nation’s Bomber. He shot the ball into the Dutch goal to make it 2-1 for Germany.

The score stayed the same throughout the second half. The Dutch team kept up the attack, but without ever managing to display the skills they’d demonstrated in previous games. Both teams had chances, but neither managed to make anything of them. The match ended with West Germany world champion.

25 June 1978: the Netherlands vs. Argentina
The hard-as-nails final in Buenos Aires began with the home team protesting at a plaster cast on Dutch player René van de Kerkhof’s wrist, saying it might hurt Argentinian players. The Netherlands threatened to walk off until the referee managed to ease the tension by getting an extra layer of padding added to the cast.

The Dutch dominated the opening, only to watch the Argentinians grow stronger as the game progressed. In the 38th minute, Mario Kempes slipped through the Dutch defence and shot the ball past goalkeeper Jan Jongbloed. 1-0 to Argentina. In the 82nd minute, Dick Nanninga equalised with a header. Immortality looked certain for Rob Rensenbrink in the final minute… until his almost winning shot hit the goal post! With the game in extra time, Mario Kempes scored his second goal and Daniel Bertoni scored another to make the final tally 3-1 and Argentina the world champions.

11 July 2010: the Netherlands vs. Spain
The Dutch team will take to the pitch in Johannesburg in South Africa dressed, for the second time in the championship, all in orange. But the move isn’t being seen as a guarantee of success: most sports writers consider Spain the favourite. The International Sports Press Association polled journalists from 54 countries and found that 63.79 thought Spain would win, while only 36.21 backed the Netherlands. But that, like many others, is just a prediction. Perhaps, for the Dutch team, it really will be third time lucky.

Click here to see the goals in both finals – and the near miss.