The

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

an (

UEFA Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; french: Union des associations européennes de football; german: Union der europäischen Fußballverbände) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs fo ...

) zone of

qualification Qualification is either the process of qualifying for an achievement, or a credential attesting to that achievement, and may refer to: * Professional qualification, attributes developed by obtaining academic degrees or through professional exper ...

for the

1970 FIFA World Cup The 1970 FIFA World Cup was the ninth edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football championship for men's senior national teams. Held from 31 May to 21 June in Mexico, it was the first World Cup tournament held outside ...

saw 29 teams competing for eight places at the finals. UEFA members

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

qualified automatically as the defending champions. The qualification process started on 19 May 1968 and ended on 7 December 1969.

Format

FIFA rejected the entry of

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and share ...

. The remaining 29 teams were drawn into eight groups, five groups of four teams and three of three teams. All eight group-winners qualified automatically.

Groups

Group 1

Group 2

Czechoslovakia and Hungary finished level on points, and a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would qualify. Czechoslovakia won the play-off to qualify for the World Cup.

Group 3

Group 4

Group 5

Group 6

Group 7

Group 8

Goalscorers

;9 goals *

Gerd Müller Gerhard "Gerd" Müller (; 3 November 1945 – 15 August 2021) was a German professional footballer. A striker renowned for his clinical finishing, especially in and around the six-yard box, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest goalscor ...

;7 goals * Luigi Riva *

Włodzimierz Lubański Włodzimierz 'Włodek' Leonard Lubański (Polish pronunciation: ; born 28 February 1947 in Gliwice-Sośnica) is a former Polish football striker, the second all-time highest goal scorer for the Polish national team. For his national team, L ...

;6 goals * Johan Devrindt *

Ferenc Bene Ferenc Bene (17 December 1944 – 27 February 2006) was a Hungarian Association football, football player of Újpest FC, Újpesti Dózsa, who was a member of the team that won the gold medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. A Forwar ...

* Kazimierz Deyna *

Colin Stein Colin Anderson Stein (born 10 May 1947) is a Scottish former footballer, who played for Hibernian, Rangers (two spells), Coventry City and Kilmarnock. Stein was part of the Rangers team that won the 1971–72 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, and he sco ...

Ove Kindvall Bengt Ove Kindvall (born 16 May 1943) is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a striker. He started his career at IFK Norrköping, where he played until he joined Feyenoord in 1966 and became professional. The same year, he w ...

;5 goals *

Erich Hof Erich Hof (3 August 1936 – 25 January 1995) was an Austrian footballer and coach who played as a forward. Career Born in the Brigittenau district of Vienna, Hof began playing football as a striker with FC Hochstädt. In 1952, he joined Wiener ...

Odilon Polleunis Odilon Polleunis (1 May 1943 – 20 September 2023), nicknamed Lon, was a Belgian footballer who won the Belgian Golden Shoe in 1968 while at Sint-Truiden. He played 22 matches and scored 10 goals for the Belgium national team between 1968 and ...

Jozef Adamec Jozef Adamec (26 February 1942 – 24 December 2018) was a Slovak football forward and manager. Adamec won seven Czechoslovak First League titles in his club career, winning two with Dukla Prague during his military service, followed by five ...

;4 goals * Helmut Redl *

Georgi Asparuhov Georgi Asparuhov Rangelov ( bg, Георги Аспарухов Рангелов; 4 May 1943 – 30 June 1971), nicknamed Gundi, was a Bulgarian footballer who played as a striker. A prolific forward of his generation, Asparuhov was renowned ...

* Hristo Bonev *

Andrzej Jarosik Andrzej Władysław Jarosik (born 26 November 1944) is a former Polish footballer who played as a forward. Club career Born in Sosnowiec, Jarosik started his career in Zagłębie Sosnowiec (1958–1974) and then played for in France with Raci ...

Dragan Džajić Dragan Džajić ( sr-Cyrl, Драган Џајић; born 30 May 1946) is a Yugoslav former footballer from Serbia. Džajić is widely considered to be one of the best footballers to emerge from the former Yugoslavia, and one of the greatest ...

;3 goals *

Karol Jokl Karol Jokl (29 August 1945 – 28 October 1996) was a Slovak football player and manager. He played for ŠK Slovan Bratislava and Czechoslovakia. Between 1963 and 1975 he played in the Czechoslovak First League for ŠK Slovan Bratislava, scorin ...

* Ole Sørensen *

Arto Tolsa Arto Vilho Tolsa (9 August 1945 – 30 March 1989) was a Finnish footballer. Career Tolsa started his career in his hometown of Kotka, playing for Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat. He was promoted to first team as a 16 year old for 1962 second ...

Hervé Revelli Hervé Revelli (born 5 May 1946) is a French former footballer who played as a forward. He is well–known for having won the French Championship a joint–record seven times. Career Revelli scored 31 Ligue 1 goals during the calendar year of ...

Vasilis Botinos Vasilios Botinos ( el, Βασίλειος Μποτίνος; 19 October 1944 – 16 February 2022) was a Greek footballer who played as a winger for Olympiacos as well as the Greece national team. Career Born in Volos, Botinos began playing f ...

Giorgos Sideris Giorgos Sideris ( el, Γιώργος Σιδέρης, born 5 April 1938-) is a Greek former footballer, who played as striker. Club career Sideris began his youth career at Atromitos Piraeus playing in the centre of midfield but his coaches s ...

* Antal Dunai * Ola Dybwad-Olsen *

Eusébio Eusébio da Silva Ferreira (; 25 January 1942 – 5 January 2014), nicknamed the "Black Panther", the "Black Pearl" or "O Rei" ("The King"), was a Portuguese footballer who played as a striker. He is considered one of the greatest players of ...

Florea Dumitrache Florea Dumitrache (22 May 1948 – 26 April 2007) was a Romanian professional footballer who played as a striker. Dumitrache spent most of his senior career at Dinamo București, appearing in over 200 league matches and winning three national ...

* Alan Gilzean *

José Eulogio Gárate José Eulogio Gárate Ormaechea (born 20 September 1944) is a former professional footballer who played as a striker for SD Eibar, SD Indautxu and Atlético Madrid. Born in Argentina, he represented the Spain national team at international le ...

Wolfgang Overath Wolfgang Overath (born 29 September 1943) is a former West German footballer. A true one-club man, Overath spent his entire professional career at 1. FC Köln. He represented his country three times in World Cup finals, culminating in 1974 wit ...

* Vahidin Musemić *

Slaven Zambata Slaven Zambata (24 September 1940 – 29 October 2020) was a Croatian professional football player best known for his time at Dinamo Zagreb in the 1960s, for whom he appeared in 171 Yugoslav First League matches. He was also a Yugoslav intern ...

;2 goals * Wilfried Puis *

Dinko Dermendzhiev Dinko Tsvetkov Dermendzhiev ( bg, Динко Цветков Дерменджиев; 2 June 1941 – 1 May 2019), nicknamed Chico was a Bulgarian footballer and coach. Club career Dinko Dermendzhiev began his youth career in Maritsa Plovdiv. Init ...

* Vladimír Hagara *

Ladislav Kuna Ladislav Kuna (3 April 1947 – 1 February 2012) was a Slovak football player and manager, who played as a central midfielder. He played 424 matches and scored 86 goals in the Czechoslovak First League, all for Spartak Trnava. His number of app ...

Andrej Kvašňák Andrej Kvašňák (19 May 1936 – 18 April 2007) was a Slovak football player. Born in Košice, he played for Czechoslovakia, for which he played 47 matches and scored 13 goals. He is usually considered one of the best Czechoslovak footballers. ...

Wolfram Löwe Wolfram Löwe (born 14 May 1945 in Markranstädt) is a former German footballer. Career Club career Löwe played almost whole his career for 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig (1963–1980). International career On the national level he played for the ...

Eberhard Vogel Eberhard "Ebse" Vogel (born 8 April 1943) is a former German footballer. Career Vogel played for FC Karl-Marx-Stadt (1961–1970) and FC Carl Zeiss Jena (1970–1982). His 440 appearances for both clubs combined was the record for East Germa ...

* Tommy Lindholm *

Jean-Claude Bras Jean-Claude Bras (born 15 November 1945) is a French former professional footballer who played as a striker and right winger. After his footballing career, he acted as the president of Red Star for 23 years. After football In 1978, Bras reti ...

* Giorgos Dedes *

Lajos Kocsis Lajos Kocsis (18 June 1947 in Szeged – 9 October 2000 in Budapest) was a Hungarian football midfielder, who played for Bp. Honvéd SE. He was an Olympic champion in 1968. Club career Kocsis started his career in his native town of Szeged, ...

Don Givens Daniel Joseph "Don" Givens (born 9 August 1949) is an Irish former footballer and coach. A forward, Givens played club football for Manchester United, Luton Town, Queens Park Rangers, Birmingham City, AFC Bournemouth, Sheffield United and Ne ...

* Sandro Mazzola * Johny Léonard *

Theo Pahlplatz Theo Pahlplatz (born 3 April 1947 in Oldenzaal) is a Dutch retired footballer. He spent most of his career with FC Twente after a spell with hometown club Quick'20. He is part of the team that won the KNVB Cup The KNVB Beker (; en, KNVB Cup), ...

Terry Harkin John Terence Harkin (born 14 September 1941) is a Northern Irish former professional footballer who played as a forward. He scored 125 goals in 260 league games in nine seasons in the Football League. He also scored 66 goals in 142 games in th ...

* Jacinto Santos *

Bobby Murdoch Robert White Murdoch (17 August 1944 – 15 May 2001) was a Scottish professional footballer, who played for Celtic, Middlesbrough and Scotland. Murdoch was one of the Lisbon Lions, the Celtic team who won the European Cup in 1967. He later ma ...

Kakhi Asatiani Kakhi Asatiani ( ka, კახი ასათიანი, 1 January 1947 – 20 November 2002) was a Georgian association football player and manager. Career During his career he played for FC Dinamo Tbilisi (1965–1975), Asatiani earned 1 ...

* Volodymyr Muntyan * Givi Nodia * Amancio Amaro *

Bo Larsson Bo-Göran "Bosse" Larsson (born 5 May 1944) is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder and striker. Best remembered for his time with Malmö FF, he also represented VfB Stuttgart and Trelleborgs FF during his caree ...

Fritz Künzli Friedrich "Fritz" Künzli (8 January 1946 – 22 December 2019) was a Swiss football player. From 1961 to 1979 he played in 313 matches in the Nationalliga A scoring a record 201 goals. In 1978, he played part of one season in the North America ...

* Georges Vuilleumier *

Helmut Haller Helmut Haller (; 21 July 1939 – 11 October 2012) was a German footballer who played as a forward. At international level, he represented West Germany at three World Cups. At club level, he played in both Germany and Italy, and won Italian l ...

Josip Bukal Josip "Mane" Bukal (15 November 1945 – 30 August 2016) was a Bosnian professional football player and later on football manager. During his playing days, he played as a striker. Early life Bukal was born in the village of Okešinec near Ivani ...

* Metodije Spasovski ;1 goal * Wilhelm Kreuz * Helmut Siber * August Starek *

Léon Semmeling Léon Joseph Semmeling (Moelingen (Mouland), 4 January 1940) is a retired Belgian footballer. During his career he played for R. Standard de Liège. He earned 35 caps for the Belgium national football team, and participated in the 1970 FIFA ...

* Dimitar Penev *

Dimitar Yakimov Dimitar Nikolov Yakimov ( bg, Димитър Николов Якимов; born 12 August 1941) is a Bulgarian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or forward. He represented Septemvri Sofia and CSKA Sofia at cl ...

* Panicos Efthimiadis * Nicos Kantzilieris * Dušan Kabát * František Veselý * Bent Jensen *

Ulrik Le Fevre Ulrik le Fevre (born 25 June 1946) is a Danish former professional football player and manager, and current FIFA-licensed player agent. He was a left winger, who had a fierce shot. He played for Danish club Vejle Boldklub, German club Borussia ...

Ole Madsen Ole Eduard Fischer Madsen (21 December 1934 – 26 March 2006 Camilla Dam ''Danmarks Radio'', 26 March 2006) was a Danish international footballer, who scored 42 goals in 50 matches for the Denmark national team and competed at the 1964 Europea ...

Henning Frenzel Henning Frenzel (born 3 May 1942 in Geithain) is a German former footballer. Frenzel was active in East Germany, and spent his entire career with Lokomotive Leipzig (in its various guises), where he totalled 420 appearances and 152 goals, res ...

Hans-Jürgen Kreische Hans-Jürgen "Hansi" Kreische (born 19 July 1947) is a former East German footballer. Career Club career Kreische spent his entire career with his hometown club, Dynamo Dresden, scoring 127 goals in 234 DDR-Oberliga games between 1964 and 197 ...

* Peter Rock * Turo Flink *

Jean Djorkaeff Jean Djorkaeff (born 27 October 1939) is a French former professional footballer and manager. As a player, he operated as a defender. Early life Djorkaeff was born in the French commune of Charvieu, located in the ''département'' of Isère. ...

Mimis Domazos Dimitris "Mimis" Domazos ( el, Δημήτρης "Μίμης" Δομάζος, born 22 January 1942) is a Greek former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. His nickname was ''"The General"'' ''( el, "Ο Στρατηγός ...

* Kostas Elefterakis *

Giorgos Koudas Giorgos Koudas ( el, Γιώργος Κούδας; born 23 November 1946) is a Greek former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He spent his entire career in PAOK. Due to his fierce competitiveness and his Macedonian ...

Mimis Papaioannou Dimitrios "Mimis" Papaioannou ( el, Δημήτριος "Μίμης" Παπαϊωάννου; born 23 August 1942) is a Greek former professional football player, who played as a forward, mostly for AEK Athens and a former manager. His nickname w ...

Flórián Albert Flórián Albert (15 September 1941 – 31 October 2011) was a Hungarian professional football player, manager and sports official, who was named European Footballer of the Year in 1967. Nicknamed "The Emperor", he played as a forward, and ha ...

János Farkas János Farkas (27 March 1942 in Budapest – 29 September 1989 in Budapest) was a Hungarian footballer. During his club career he played for Vasas SC. He earned 33 caps and scored 20 goals for the Hungary national football team from 1961 ...

* László Fazekas * Zoltán Halmosi * Lajos Puskás * Lajos Szűcs * Eamonn Rogers *

Angelo Domenghini Angelo Domenghini (; born 25 August 1941) is an Italian football manager, and former footballer, who played as a forward, often as a right winger, or even as a striker. Despite his creative role, he also had a notable eye for goal, as well as e ...

* Josy Kirchens * Paul Philipp *

Johan Cruyff Hendrik Johannes Cruijff (, internationally known as Johan Cruyff; 25 April 1947 – 24 March 2016) was a Dutch professional football player and manager. As a player, he won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1971, 1973 and 1974. Cruyff was a p ...

* Dick van Dijk * Willem van Hanegem *

Wim Jansen Wilhelmus Marinus Antonius Jansen (; 28 October 1946 – 25 January 2022) was a Dutch professional football player and manager. As a midfielder or defender, he spent most of his career at Feyenoord, winning honours including the European C ...

Sjaak Roggeveen Sjaak Roggeveen (born 5 October 1942) is a Dutch former international footballer who played for a number of clubs in his native Netherlands. He featured three times for the Netherlands national football team The Netherlands national football ...

* Wietse Veenstra *

Henk Wery Henk Wery (born 10 June 1943) is a Dutch former footballer who played for Feyenoord and was part of their European Cup victory in 1970. He earned 12 caps and scored 3 goals for the Netherlands national football team The Netherlands national ...

George Best George Best (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005) was a Northern Irish professional footballer who played as a winger, spending most of his club career at Manchester United. A highly skilful dribbler, Best is regarded as one of the greatest pla ...

* William Campbell *

Derek Dougan Alexander Derek Dougan (20 January 1938 – 24 June 2007) was a Northern Ireland international footballer, football manager, football chairman, pundit, and writer. He was also known by his nickname, "The Doog". He was capped by Northern ...

Eric McMordie Eric McMordie (full name Alexander S. McMordie; born 12 August 1946 in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a former professional footballer. McMordie was an attacking midfielder or inside forward whose career lasted from 1965 to 1978. He played for Mi ...

* Jimmy Nicholson * Odd Iversen * Bronisław Bula *

Jerzy Wilim Jerzy Antoni Wilim (14 August 1941 – 7 December 2014) was a Polish association football, footballer (Striker (association football), striker) connected most of time with Szombierki Bytom. He played also for Górnik Zabrze and Stade Rennes, Renn ...

José Augusto de Almeida José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced differently in each language: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ). In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , is an old vernacul ...

* Jacinto João *

Fernando Peres Fernando Peres da Silva (8 January 1943 – 10 February 2019), known as Peres, was a Portuguese professional Association football, football Midfielder#Winger, left winger and Manager (association football), manager. Club career Peres was born i ...

* Emerich Dembrovschi *

Nicolae Dobrin Nicolae Dobrin (; 26 August 1947 – 26 October 2007) was a Romanian footballer who played as an attacking midfielder and a manager. Nicknamed ''Gâscanul'' ("The Gander") or ''Prințul din Trivale'' ("The Prince of Trivale"), he is considered o ...

* Flavius Domide *

Billy Bremner William John Bremner (9 December 1942 – 7 December 1997) was a Scottish professional footballer and manager. Regarded as one of the game's great midfielders, he combined precision passing skills with tenacious tackling and physical stam ...

* Tommy Gemmell * Eddie Gray *

Willie Henderson William Henderson (born 24 January 1944) is a Scottish retired footballer. He played most of his career for Rangers, and spent the latter part of his career with Sheffield Wednesday, in Hong Kong with Hong Kong Rangers and with Airdrieonians ...

* Jimmy Johnstone *

Denis Law Denis Law (born 24 February 1940) is a Scottish former footballer who played as a forward. His career as a football player began at Second Division Huddersfield Town in 1956. After four years at Huddersfield, he was signed by Manchester City ...

Billy McNeill William McNeill (2 March 1940 – 22 April 2019) was a Scottish football player and manager. He had a long association with Celtic, spanning more than sixty years as a player, manager and club ambassador. McNeill captained Celtic's 'Lisbon Lio ...

Anatoliy Byshovets Anatoliy Fyodorovich Byshovets (russian: Анатолий Фёдорович Бышовец, uk, Анато́лій Фе́дорович Бишове́ць; born 23 April 1946) is a Soviet and Russian football manager of Ukrainian origin and for ...

* Vitaly Khmelnitsky *

Juan Manuel Asensi Juan Manuel Asensi Ripoll (born 23 September 1949) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. Club career Born in Alicante, Valencian Community, Asensi began his career at local Elche CF – at the time in La Liga � ...

* Miguel Ángel Bustillo *

Pirri José Martínez Sánchez (born 11 March 1945), nicknamed Pirri, is a Spanish former footballer. A central midfielder in the early part of his career, he finished up as a sweeper. He spent the vast majority of his career with Real Madrid, appear ...

* Joaquín Sierra *

Manuel Velázquez Manuel Velázquez Villaverde (24 January 1943 – 15 January 2016) was a Spanish footballer who played as a central midfielder. Club career Born in Madrid, Velázquez spent all of his 12 years in La Liga with Real Madrid. After three seasons o ...

Leif Eriksson Leif Erikson, Leiv Eiriksson, or Leif Ericson, ; Modern Icelandic: ; Norwegian: ''Leiv Eiriksson'' also known as Leif the Lucky (), was a Norse explorer who is thought to have been the first European to have set foot on continental North ...

Ove Grahn Jan-Olof "Ove" Grahn (9 May 1943 – 11 July 2007) was a Swedish professional football player who played as a striker. He represented IF Elfsborg, Grasshoppers, Lausanne Sports, and Örgryte IS during a career that spanned between 1960 and 19 ...

* Roland Grip * Örjan Persson * René-Pierre Quentin *

Ender Konca Ender Konca (born 22 October 1947) is a former footballer who played for Kasımpaşa, İstanbulspor, Eskişehirspor Eskişehirspor Kulübü is a Turkish professional football club located in Eskişehir. Eskisehirspor has a total of six troph ...

* Ogün Altıparmak * Mike England * David Powell *

John Toshack John Benjamin Toshack (born 22 March 1949) is a Welsh former professional football player and manager. He began his playing career as a teenager with his hometown club Cardiff City, becoming the youngest player to make an appearance for the ...

* Klaus Fichtel *

Sigfried Held Sigfried "Siggi" Held (born 7 August 1942) is a German former football player and coach. He played as an attacking midfielder or forward. Born in Freudenthal, Sudetenland (now Czech Republic), Held's first football club was Kickers Offenbach. In ...

* Horst-Dieter Höttges *

Reinhard Libuda Reinhard "Stan" Libuda (10 October 1943 – 25 August 1996) was a German footballer playing on the right wing. Career Libuda was born in Wendlinghausen near Lemgo. His tremendous skill as a dribbler was a major factor in Borussia Dortmund's 1 ...

* Max Lorenz *

Rudolf Belin Rudolf Belin (born 4 November 1942) is a Croatian retired football manager and player. Club career Belin started his career with Dinamo Zagreb in 1960, where he won the Yugoslav Cup three times and the 1967 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, beating the E ...

Ivica Osim Ivan Osim (6 May 1941 – 1 May 2022), best known as Ivica Osim, was a Bosnian professional footballer and football manager. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Bosnian football managers of all time and as one of the most influential foo ...

Miroslav Pavlović Miroslav Pavlović ( sr-cyrl, Мирослав Павловић; 23 October 1942 – 19 January 2004) was a Serbian footballer. While playing in the United States, he was known as Miro Pavlovic. On the national level he played for Yugoslavia na ...

* Denijal Pirić * Edin Sprečo ;1 own goal *

Johann Eigenstiller Johann Eigenstiller (born 17 June 1943) is a former Austrian association football, football Defender (association football), defender who played for Austria national football team, Austria. He also played for SK Vorwärts Steyr, FC Wacker Innsbru ...

(playing against

West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 ...

) *

José Augusto Torres José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced differently in each language: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ). In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , is an old vernacul ...

(playing against

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...

) * Bruno Michaud (playing against

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

)

References

External links

European Zone
at FIFA.com {{DEFAULTSORT:1970 Fifa World Cup Qualification (Uefa)

FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)

World Cup A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the concept i ...