The 1990 Football World Cup was designated by FIFA in 1984 to be held in Italy, making it the second country to host the event twice. It was won by West Germany, who beat Argentina 1-0 in the final, repeating the final of the 1986 Football World Cup .

With its third title (and three second place finishes) West Germany became the most successful World Cup nation for 4 years, until Brazil won their 4th Championship in 1994. West German team manager Franz Beckenbauer became the second footballer, after Mario Zagallo of Brazil, to become World Champion as a player (in 1974) and as team manager. In doing so, Beckenbauer also became the first captain of a winning team to later manage a winning squad.

The format of the competition stayed the same as in 1986: 24 teams qualified, divided into six groups of four. 16 teams would qualify for the knockout competition: six group winners, six second place finishers, and four best third place finishers. Three nations qualified for the first time in their history: Costa Rica, the Republic of Ireland and the United Arab Emirates.

The World Cup began with an upset. Defending champion Argentina fell 0-1 to Cameroon in the opening match. The goal was headed in by François Omam-Biyik. Cameroon went on to become the surprise team of the Championship, becoming the first African nation to go to the quarter finals and losing there 2-3 in extra time to England after leading 2-1. Cameroon's Roger Milla, who came out of retirement specifically for the World Cup, became an international superstar at age 38, long after most top-level footballers typically retire.

Argentina recovered from their defeat and went all the way to the final. On their way they defeated Brazil in the round of the last 16 and, in the semi-final, were the first team in this tournament to score a goal against the hosts Italy, winning through a penalty shootout after a 1-1 score after extra time. Argentine goalkeeper Sergio Goycochea saved two penalty kicks.

Italian Salvatore Schillaci won the Golden Boot with six goals, scoring a goal in every game that he appeared in. Amazingly, 'Toto' had played for Italy only once prior to the tournament.

The World Cup 1990 is widely regarded (along with the 1962 edition in Chile) as one of the least spectacular and most cynical World Cups ever. It generated a record-low goals-per-game average and (at the time) record 16 red cards. Most teams relied heavily on defensive play and hard tackling, as well as aggressive intimidation of the referee. In the knock-out stage of the cup, many teams would "play it safe" for 120 minutes and try their luck in the penalty shootout, rather than risk going forward. Runners-up Argentina was the prime example of this trend, taking the silver medal despite scoring only 5 goals in 7 games. World Champions West Germany was one of the few teams to choose an attacking style of play.

Venues

• Stadio Olimpico, Rome - 81,000 [R1,R2,QF,F matches]
• Stadio San Paolo, Naples - 74,000 [R1,R2,QF,SF matches]
• Stadio Delle Alpi, Turin - 68,000 [R1,R2,SF matches]
• Stadio San Nicola, Bari - 56,000 [R1,R2,3P matches]
• Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence - 41,000 [R1,QF matches]
• Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan - 85,700 [R1,R2,QF matches]
• Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genova - 35,000 [R1,R2 matches]
• Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, Bologna - 39,000 [R1,R2 matches]
• Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi, Verona - 42,000 [R1,R2 matches]
• Stadio Friuli, Udine - 38,000 [R1 matches]
• Stadio Sant'Elia, Cagliari - 40,000 [R1 matches]
• Stadio Della Favorita, Palermo - 36,000 [R1 matches]

First Round

Group A

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
Italy	6	3	3	0	0	4	0	4
Czechoslovakia	4	3	2	0	1	6	3	3
Austria	2	3	1	0	2	2	3	-1
United States	0	3	0	0	3	2	8	-6

June 9, Stadio Olimpico, Rome - Italy 1 - 0 Austria

• Schillaci (ITA) 78

June 10, Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence - Czechoslovakia 5 - 1 United States

• Skuhravý (CZE) 25, Bílek (CZE) 39 pen, Hašek (CZE) 50, Skuhravý (CZE) 78, Luhový (CZE) 90; Caligiuri (USA) 61

June 14, Stadio Olimpico, Rome - Italy 1 - 0 United States

• Giannini (ITA) 11

June 15, Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence - Czechoslovakia 1 - 0 Austria

• Bilek (CZE) 30 pen

June 19, Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence - Austria 2 - 1 United States

• Ogris (AUT) 52, Rodax (AUT) 65; Murray (USA) 85

June 19, Stadio Olimpico, Rome - Italy 2 - 0 Czechoslovakia

• Schillaci (ITA) 9, Baggio (ITA) 78

Group B

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
Cameroon	4	3	2	0	1	3	5	-2
Romania	3	3	1	1	1	4	3	1
Argentina	3	3	1	1	1	3	2	1
USSR	2	3	1	0	2	4	4	0

June 8, Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan - Cameroon 1 - 0 Argentina

• Biyik (CMR) 67

June 9, Stadio San Nicola, Bari - Romania 2 - 0 USSR

• Lacatus (ROM) 42, 57

June 13, Stadio San Paolo, Naples - Argentina 2 - 0 USSR

• Troglio (ARG) 27, Burruchaga (ARG) 79

June 14, Stadio San Nicola, Bari - Cameroon 2 - 1 Romania

• Milla (CMR) 76, 86; Balint (ROM) 88

June 18, Stadio San Nicola, Bari - USSR 4 - 0 Cameroon

• Protasov (URS) 20, Zygmantovich (URS) 29, Zavarov (URS) 55, Dobrovolski (URS) 63

June 18, Stadio San Paolo, Naples - Argentina 1 - 1 Romania

• Monzon (ARG) 63; Balint (ROM) 68

Group C

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
Brazil	6	3	3	0	0	4	1	3
Costa Rica	4	3	2	0	1	3	2	1
Scotland	2	3	1	0	2	2	3	-1
Sweden	0	3	0	0	3	3	6	-3

June 10, Stadio Delle Alpi, Turin - Brazil 2 - 1 Sweden

• Careca (BRA) 40, 63; Brolin (SWE) 79

June 11, Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa - Costa Rica 1 - 0 Scotland

• Reid (CRC) 49

June 16, Stadio Delle Alpi, Turin - Brazil 1 - 0 Costa Rica

• Müller (BRA) 33

June 16, Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa - Scotland 2 - 1 Sweden

• McCall (SCO) 10, Johnston (SCO) 80 pen; Strömberg (SWE) 86

June 20, Stadio Delle Alpi, Turin - Brazil 1 - 0 Scotland

• Müller (BRA) 82

June 20, Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa - Costa Rica 2 - 1 Sweden

• Flores (CRC) 75, Medford (CRC) 88; Ekström (SWE) 32

Group D

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
West Germany	5	3	2	1	0	10	3	7
Yugoslavia	4	3	2	0	1	6	5	1
Colombia	3	3	1	1	1	3	2	1
United Arab Emirates	0	3	0	0	3	2	11	-9

June 9, Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, Bologna - Colombia 2 - 0 United Arab Emirates

• Redin (COL) 50, Valderrama (COL) 85

June 10, Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan - West Germany 4 - 1 Yugoslavia

• Matthäus (GER) 28, 65, Klinsmann (GER) 39, Völler (GER) 71; Jozić (YUG) 55

June 14, Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, Bologna - Yugoslavia 1 - 0 Colombia

• Jozić (YUG) 75

June 15, Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan - West Germany 5 - 1 United Arab Emirates

• Völler (GER) 35, 75, Klinsmann (GER) 36, Matthäus (GER) 47, Bein (GER) 59; Mubarak (UAE) 46

June 19, Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan - West Germany 1 - 1 Colombia

• Littbarski (GER) 89; Rincón (COL) 90

June 19, Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, Bologna - Yugoslavia 4 - 1 United Arab Emirates

• Sušić (YUG) 5, Pančev (YUG) 9, 46, Prosinečki (YUG) 90; Jumaa (UAE) 22

Group E

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
Spain	5	3	2	1	0	5	2	3
Belgium	4	3	2	0	1	6	3	3
Uruguay	3	3	1	1	1	2	3	-1
Korea Republic	0	3	0	0	3	1	6	-5

June 12, Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi, Verona - Belgium 2 - 0 Korea Republic

• Degryse (BEL) 53, de Wolf (BEL) 64

June 13, Stadio Friuli, Udine - Uruguay 0 - 0 Spain

June 17, Stadio Friuli, Udine - Spain 3 - 1 Korea Republic

• Míchel (ESP) 22, 61, 81; Hwangbo (KOR) 42

June 17, Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi, Verona - Belgium 3 - 1 Uruguay

• Clijsters (BEL) 16, Scifo (BEL) 22, Ceulemans (BEL) 48; Bengoechea (URU) 74

June 21, Stadio Friuli, Udine - Uruguay 1 - 0 Korea Republic

• Fonseca (URU) 90

June 21, Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi, Verona - Spain 2 - 1 Belgium

• Míchel (ESP) 20 pen, Gorriz (ESP) 38; Vervoort (BEL) 28

Group F

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
England	4	3	1	2	0	2	1	1
Republic of Ireland	3	3	0	3	0	2	2	0
Netherlands	3	3	0	3	0	2	2	0
Egypt	2	3	0	2	1	1	2	-1

Note: Ireland awarded second place by drawing of lots

June 11, Stadio Sant'Elia, Cagliari - England 1 - 1 Republic of Ireland

• Lineker (ENG) 8; Sheedy (IRL) 73

June 12, Stadio Della Favorita, Palermo - Netherlands 1 - 1 Egypt

• Kieft (NED) 58; El Ghani 83 pen

June 16, Stadio Sant'Elia, Cagliari - England 0 - 0 Netherlands

June 17, Stadio Della Favorita, Palermo - Republic of Ireland 0 - 0 Egypt

June 21, Stadio Sant'Elia, Cagliari - England 1 - 0 Egypt

• Wright (ENG) 64

June 21, Stadio Della Favorita, Palermo - Netherlands 1 - 1 Republic of Ireland

• Gullit (NED) 10; Quinn (IRL) 71

Round of Sixteen

June 23, Stadio San Paolo, Naples - Cameroon 2 - 1 (AET) Colombia

• Milla (CMR) 106, 109; Redin (COL) 115

June 23, Stadio San Nicola, Bari - Czechoslovakia 4 - 1 Costa Rica

• Skuhravý (CZE) 12, 63, 82, Kubík (CZE) 75; Gonzalez (CRC) 54

June 24, Stadio Delle Alpi, Turin - Argentina 1 - 0 Brazil

• Caniggia (ARG) 80

June 24, Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan - West Germany 2 - 1 Netherlands

• Klinsmann (GER) 51, Brehme (GER) 82; Koeman (NED) 89

June 25, Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa - Republic of Ireland 0 - 0 (AET 5-4 PEN) Romania

June 25, Stadio Olimpico, Rome - Italy 2 - 0 Uruguay

• Schillaci (ITA), Serena (ITA) 85

June 26, Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi, Verona - Yugoslavia 2 - 1 (AET) Spain

• Stojković (YUG) 78, 92; Salinas (ESP) 83

June 26, Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, Bologna - England 1 - 0 (AET) Belgium

• Platt (ENG) 119

Quarterfinals

June 30, Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence - Argentina 0 - 0 (AET 3-2 PEN) Yugoslavia

June 30, Stadio Olimpico, Rome - Italy 1 - 0 Republic of Ireland

• Schillaci (ITA) 38

July 1, Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan - West Germany 1 - 0 Czechoslovakia

• Matthäus (GER) 25 pen

July 1, Stadio San Paolo, Naples - England 3 - 2 (AET) Cameroon

• Platt (ENG) 25, Lineker (ENG) 83 pen, 105; Kunde (CMR) 61, Ekeke (CMR) 65

Semifinals

July 3, Stadio San Paolo, Naples - Argentina 1 - 1 (AET 4-3 PEN) Italy

• Schillaci (ITA) 17; Caniggia (ARG) 67

July 4, Stadio Delle Alpi, Turin - West Germany 1 - 1 (AET 4-3 PEN) England

• Brehme (GER) 60; Gary Lineker (ENG) 80

Third Place Match

July 7, Stadio San Nicola, Bari - Italy 2 - 1 England

• Baggio (ITA) 71, Schillaci (ITA) 86 pen; Platt (ENG) 81

Final

July 8, Stadio Olimpico, Rome - West Germany 1 - 0 Argentina

• Brehme (GER) 85 pen

Attendance: 73,603

Referee: Edgardo Codesal Mendez (Mexico)

Goals: Brehme (FRG) 85' (Penalty).

Firsts

• For the first time, both World Cup semifinals were decided by penalty shootouts.
• The tournament marks the first time a World Cup tournament has ever hit such a low goals-per-game average. There were 115 goals, and, taking account of extra time when applicable, 4920 minutes of play - which means 1 goal every 42.7 minutes, or only 2.1 goals for every 90-minute game.
• First appearance of Costa Rica, the Republic of Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, and reappearance of the United States after a 40-year absence. Both the UAE and the USA went out in the group stage.
• This was the first and last World Cup in which two European teams were defeated by a Central American squad: Costa Rica 1:0 Scotland, and Costa Rica 2:1 Sweden.

The final alone had several firsts:

• For the first time a team reached three World Cup finals in a row: West Germany had already lost the finals in 1982 and 1986. This feat was later repeated by Brazil in 1994, 1998 and 2002 with better results : two titles out of three finals.
• It was the first rematch of a preceding final: The World Cup 1986 already saw Argentina and Germany in the final, only with a different winner.
• Pedro Monzón of Argentina became the first player to be sent off in a World Cup final. Teammate Gustavo Abel Dezotti was also sent off.
• For the first time, the losing team did not score a goal: Germany won by a penalty, almost saved by Sergio Goycochea, scored in the 85th minute by Andreas Brehme after a heavily disputed foul on Rudi Völler. As such, West Germany's Bodo Illgner became the first goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet in a World Cup final.

Lasts

• This would be the last World Cup in which goalkeepers were allowed to pick up direct backpasses from teammates. The backpass rule was in use from the 1994 tournament in order to make it harder for teams to time-waste.
• This was the last World Cup in which four teams' countries existed as political entities: West Germany joined with East Germany shortly after the tournament, Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Yugoslavia dissolved into the nations Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia, and Serbia and Montenegro (which retained the name Yugoslavia until 2002), and the USSR, which split into Russia and fourteen smaller states with the fall of the Communist regime, although the former Soviet states fielded a CIS team in the 1992 European Championship.