The 1977–78 season, which ended earlier than usual due to the upcoming
World Cup in Argentina, ended with
1. FC Köln winning the title, but the decision had been closer than anybody would have imagined. The team from
Cologne was level on points with
Borussia Mönchengladbach before the final round of matches of the season, but had a ten-goal lead in
goal difference over their rivals. Nevertheless, Mönchengladbach managed to close the gap with a
12–0 victory in their last match against
Borussia Dortmund. However, the team around
Jupp Heynckes and
Berti Vogts missed out on the title by three goals because Köln won 5–0 against
FC St. Pauli at the same time. ==Team overview==