FIFA World Cup 1990 – Italy
The 1990 FIFA World Cup, hosted in Italy, was a tournament of tactical defensive play, dramatic penalty shootouts, and an unlikely underdog story. It is often remembered for its low-scoring nature and intense, physical encounters, culminating in a highly controversial final.
Group Stage
Group A
| Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Italy |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 | 6 |
 Czechoslovakia |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 4 |
 Austria |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 2 |
 United States |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | -6 | 0 |
Match Results
- Italy 1-0 Austria
- United States 1-5 Czechoslovakia
- Italy 1-0 United States
- Austria 0-1 Czechoslovakia
- Austria 2-1 United States
- Italy 2-0 Czechoslovakia
The host nation, Italy, put on a dominant display, winning all of their group matches without conceding a single goal. Their star striker, Salvatore “Totò” Schillaci, began his improbable goal-scoring run that would define his tournament.
Group B
| Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Cameroon |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 4 |
 Romania |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 3 |
 Argentina |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 3 |
| Soviet Union | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
Match Results
- Argentina 0-1 Cameroon
- Soviet Union 0-2 Romania
- Argentina 2-0 Soviet Union
- Cameroon 2-1 Romania
- Cameroon 0-4 Soviet Union
- Argentina 1-1 Romania
This group provided the biggest upset of the tournament’s opening when a 9-man Cameroon side, featuring the veteran Roger Milla, defeated the defending champions Argentina. Cameroon’s unpredictable style and Milla’s joyous goal celebrations made them the tournament’s biggest sensation.
Group C
| Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Brazil |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 6 |
 Costa Rica |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 4 |
 Sweden |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | -3 | 0 |
 Scotland |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 2 |
Match Results
- Brazil 2-1 Sweden
- Costa Rica 1-0 Scotland
- Brazil 1-0 Costa Rica
- Sweden 1-2 Scotland
- Brazil 1-0 Scotland
- Sweden 1-2 Costa Rica
Brazil maintained their 100% winning record in the group stage, while Costa Rica provided a major surprise by defeating both Scotland and Sweden to secure their place in the knockout round for the first time in their history.
Group D
| Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 West Germany |
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 3 | +7 | 5 |
| Yugoslavia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 4 |
 Colombia |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 3 |
 United Arab Emirates |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 13 | -11 | 0 |
Match Results
- United Arab Emirates 0-2 Colombia
- West Germany 4-1 Yugoslavia
- West Germany 5-1 United Arab Emirates
- Yugoslavia 1-0 Colombia
- West Germany 1-1 Colombia
- Yugoslavia 4-1 United Arab Emirates
West Germany’s dominant performance, marked by their high-scoring games, established them as one of the tournament favorites. Colombia, with the legendary René Higuita in goal, also advanced, but their progress was overshadowed by the brilliance of the West Germans.
Group E
| Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Spain |
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 5 |
 Belgium |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 4 |
 Uruguay |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 3 |
 South Korea |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | -5 | 0 |
Match Results
- Belgium 2-0 South Korea
- Uruguay 0-0 Spain
- Belgium 1-2 Spain
- South Korea 0-1 Uruguay
- South Korea 0-2 Spain
- Belgium 3-1 Uruguay
Spain secured the top spot in the group, with Belgium advancing comfortably. The group also featured the infamous foul by Uruguayan player José Batista on Scotland’s Gordon Strachan in their match, which resulted in a red card after only 56 seconds, a World Cup record.
Group F
| Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 England |
3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 4 |
 Republic of Ireland |
3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
 Netherlands |
3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
 Egypt |
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 2 |
Match Results
- England 1-1 Republic of Ireland
- Netherlands 1-1 Egypt
- England 0-0 Netherlands
- Republic of Ireland 0-0 Egypt
- England 1-0 Egypt
- Republic of Ireland 1-1 Netherlands
Group F was famously dubbed “the group of draws.” All six matches were incredibly tight, with the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands both advancing on goals scored after a three-way tie for second place. England’s narrow 1-0 win over Egypt was the only definitive result.
Knockout Stage
Round of 16
▸
Cameroon 2-1 Colombia (after extra time)
Czechoslovakia 4-1 Costa Rica
Brazil 0-1 Argentina
West Germany 2-1 Netherlands
Republic of Ireland 0-0 Romania (Ireland wins 5-4 on penalties)
Spain 1-2 Yugoslavia (after extra time)
England 1-0 Belgium (after extra time)
Italy 2-0 Uruguay
The Round of 16 delivered a number of iconic moments. The “Handshake” between Argentina’s Maradona and West Germany’s Völler, and the dramatic victory of Ireland on penalties were highlights. The most famous match was Argentina vs. Brazil, where a moment of brilliance from Maradona set up the winning goal, eliminating a superior Brazilian side.
Quarter-finals
▸
Argentina 0-0 Yugoslavia (Argentina wins 3-2 on penalties)
Italy 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Czechoslovakia 0-1 West Germany
Cameroon 2-3 England (after extra time)
This stage featured more tense, low-scoring games. The quarter-final between England and Cameroon was a classic, with England needing extra time and a penalty from Gary Lineker to overcome the brave African side. Italy continued their relentless march to the final, while Argentina once again relied on a penalty shootout to advance.
Semi-finals
▸
Argentina 1-1 Italy (Argentina wins 4-3 on penalties)
West Germany 1-1 England (West Germany wins 4-3 on penalties)
The semi-finals are remembered for two of the most dramatic penalty shootouts in World Cup history. The hosts, Italy, were eliminated by Argentina in Naples, a match made more poignant by Maradona playing against the city that adored him. West Germany’s victory over England was a heartbreaker for the English, with the image of Paul Gascoigne’s tears becoming iconic.
Third Place Play-off
▸
Match: Italy vs. England
Result: Italy 2-1 England
The host nation managed to secure a third-place finish, with Salvatore Schillaci scoring his sixth goal of the tournament to win the Golden Boot. The match was a decent consolation for a tournament that had ended in heartbreak for both teams.
Final
▸
Match: West Germany vs. Argentina
Result: West Germany 1-0 Argentina
The final was a tense and ill-tempered rematch of the 1986 final. West Germany dominated the game but could only score from a controversial penalty in the 85th minute, converted by Andreas Brehme. Argentina became the first team to have two players sent off in a World Cup final. The victory was a sweet revenge for West Germany and marked the end of an era for Maradona and Argentina.