Trying to do something different, a two group stage format was used for the first time along with the current trophy for the World Cup. In a historical occasion, the teams of East and West Germany faced each other in a World Cup match (for the first group stage). A match that was even avoided before the tournament. After the Final, Sepp Maier, Franz Beckenbauer, Wolfgang Overath, Jürgen Grabowski and Horst-Dieter Höttges became the first players in history to win all three types of medals available in World Cups.