DDR World Cup 1974 Maglia Storica Calcio

The Olympic gold medal won in Montreal in 1976 aside, the shock 1-0 victory that the East German national team recorded over their neighbours, bitter rivals, and tournament hosts West Germany at the 1974 World Cup was the greatest achievement in the state's 38-year footballing history.

Jürgen Sparwasser's goal secured the win, which would eventually prove to be a double-edged sword as it put them through into the tougher of the second-round groups. Elimination duly followed but still, nothing could diminish what had been achieved in their one and only appearance at a tournament finals. This was the pinnacle of East German football history at a time when many of the state's greatest players were at the height of their game, and the club game was making a real impact in European club competition.