World Cup 1990. History of the World Cup in 1990

The 1990 FIFA World Cup (abbreviated to the 1990 World Cup) was outstanding for many reasons. In the course of its holding, many significant events happened that deserve attention. Therefore, in this article you will find out what exactly happened during the World Cup 1990, and also trace the ways of the teams that took part in it.

Group stage

In the group stage of the World Cup 1990 there were six groups, in which there were four teams - a similar format could be seen at the European Championships held this year in France. From each group came out two teams that took the first two places, and out of six teams that took third place - only four.

From Group A, the Italian and Czechoslovak teams were quite calm: the Italians won all their matches, and the Czechs lost to the Italians. In group B everything was not so clear: the current world champions the Argentines managed to lose the Cameroonian national team and play a draw with the Romanians. As a result, it was Cameroon and Romania that went directly to the playoffs, and the Argentines took third place. In group C, the situation was the same as in the first: the Brazilians beat all the participants, and the Costa Rican national team lost only to Brazil.

In Group D, Yugoslavia and Colombia fought for the second place, Yugoslavs were more successful, and last year's finalist, the German team, was in the first place without much difficulty. In group E, with the same ease, the first place was taken by the Spaniards, while the Belgians were able to wrest the second from the Uruguayan team. Well, in the last group F the situation was very tense: after the first two rounds, all four teams had not only the same number of points, but also the same number of goals scored and conceded goals. And only in the third round the English, having overcome the Egyptians, came out on the first place, and the second divided the national teams of Ireland and Holland.

But what about the third places? Of the six teams did not go to the playoffs two: Austria and Scotland, and Argentina, Colombia, the Netherlands and Uruguay were in the final part of the 1990 World Cup.

Playoff

In the eighth finals of the 1990 World Cup were quite interesting pairs. Cameroon and Colombia were unable to identify the winner in regular time, and in additional Cameroonians were stronger. The same thing happened in the matches Spain-Yugoslavia and England-Belgium. Thanks to goals scored in extra time, went further Yugoslavs and Englishmen.

The Irishmen with the Romanians also did not score in the regular time, but also failed to hit the gate added to them. In the penalty shootout the Irish were stronger. The Argentines had a hard time defeating the Brazilians with a score of 1: 0, the German team also not easily defeated the Dutch - the final score in the match 2-1. The Italians, who beat the Uruguayans 2-0, and the Czechoslovaks, who defeated the Costa Ricans 4: 1, felt more at ease.

In the quarterfinals, of course, there were no such simple matches: only two of them ended in regular time and both with the score 1: 0. The Italians defeated the Irish, and the FRG the national team of Czechoslovakia. In two other matches, the outcome was decided in a dramatic penalty shootout and in overtime. In the first case Argentines beat Yugoslavs, and in the second after a 2-2 draw in regular time, the English team won the opening of Cameroon.

So, in the semifinals were pairs of Argentina-Italy and Germany-England. Both matches ended with a score of 1: 1 and were resolved in the penalty shootout series. Argentines won the second consecutive time due to the skill of their goalkeeper, and the Germans were lucky, as the last penalty by the British "smeared", not even hitting the target.

In the finals were the combined teams of Germany and Argentina, and the match for third place was played by the Italians and the British. As a result, the bronze of the World Cup in 1990, went to the Italian team, which defeated England with a score of 2: 1. But the finale was incredibly dramatic: the whole match was not scored a single goal, and only at the 85th minute was appointed a penalty in the goal of the Argentines, which the Germans quietly realized, becoming world champions.

Top scorers in the tournament

At the World Cup in 1990 there was no particular struggle for the title of the top scorer. Four players scored four goals at once, but this was not enough to succeed. Very close to the title was the striker of the Czechoslovakia Tomasz Skuhrava, who scored five goals, but still the "Golden Boot" went to another player - Italian Salvatore Scillachi, who at this tournament scored six goals scored.

Symbolic team of the tournament

After the World Cup ended, the group of experts defined a symbolic team, in which there were three Italians, two Germans and an Argentine, two Cameroonians one Englishman and one Czech. At the gate was Goikochea, which was already mentioned above - he defended the tournament at altitude, parried so many penalty shoot-outs, that everyone was surprised. The protective line consisted of Breme, Onana and Baresi, German, Cameroonians and Italians. The midfield also had a full national diversity: the best were Maradona, Matthaus, Donadoni and Gascoigne. Well, the best strikers were the above-mentioned Skillachi and Skuhrav, they were added to the four goals scored by Cameroonian Milla.

What happened for the first time?

Well, it's time to talk about the very events that were amazing for the football community of that time. For example, this final was the third for the team of Germany in a row. Moreover, there are other impressive facts concerning the pair of tournament finalists (Germany and Argentina). World Cup 1990 was the second consecutive World Championship, at which the finalists were repeated. In addition, it was the first ever championship, which was played in the final match by the same teams as before. For the first time in history, there were so few goals scored in the finals - 1: 0 in the final match was registered for the first time. In addition, never before in the finals were not immediately removed two players.

Separately it is necessary to say about the main discovery and the main disappointment of the tournament. The opening was the Cameroonian national team, which was the first African national team in history to reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup. And the main disappointment of the tournament was the USSR team. Football 1990-FM, which showed Cameroonians, you could only envy, but Soviet footballers were disgusting and for the first time in history did not even leave the group.

What happened the last time?

The last time in history, at a major tournament, a system was used in which not three, but two points are awarded for the victory. Also for the last time at the World Championship four teams played at once: the USSR, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and the FRG. The first three ceased to exist because of the collapse of the countries, and the fourth - due to the accession to the FRG of the GDR.