{"id":617303,"date":"2025-12-07T05:15:35","date_gmt":"2025-12-07T05:15:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/617303\/"},"modified":"2025-12-07T05:15:35","modified_gmt":"2025-12-07T05:15:35","slug":"how-west-germany-won-the-1990-world-cup-brilliant-brehme-magnificent-matthaus-and-an-argentina-meltdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/617303\/","title":{"rendered":"How West Germany won the 1990 World Cup: Brilliant Brehme, magnificent Matthaus and an Argentina meltdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is the 14th in a series by The Athletic\u00a0looking back at the winners of each men\u2019s World Cup.<\/p>\n

Previously, we\u2019ve looked at\u00a0Uruguay in 1930<\/a>,\u00a0Italy in 1934<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0again in 193<\/a>8<\/a>,\u00a0Uruguay in 1950<\/a>,\u00a0West Germany in 1954<\/a>, before a Brazilian double\u00a0in 1958<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a01962,<\/a>\u00a0an England success in 1966<\/a>,\u00a0another Brazil win in 1970<\/a>, a second\u00a0West Germany triumph in 1974<\/a>,\u00a0Argentina\u2019s long-awaited win in 1978,<\/a>\u00a0Italy\u2019s third in 1982,<\/a>\u00a0and Argentina\u2019s second in 1986<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This time, it\u2019s West Germany in 1990.<\/p>\n

Introduction<\/p>\n

This is remembered as the most negative, defensive World Cup, supported by the lowest goals-per-game figure on record, 2.21. It was so disastrous that FIFA and IFAB felt compelled to improve the spectacle afterwards, largely by clamping down on dangerous tackles and introducing the backpass law \u2014 although not, as was floated by some, by increasing the size of the goals.<\/p>\n

West Germany won the competition in somewhat unglamorous fashion, as their key matches were dominated by penalties and opposition red cards.<\/p>\n

But in the group stage, they played some good football, and in the knockout stage, they at least attempted to, which was more than most of their opponents could claim.<\/p>\n

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\n West Germany\u2019s Lothar Matthaus and forward Pierre Littbarski (AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The manager<\/p>\n

Franz Beckenbauer had skippered West Germany to World Cup glory in 1974 and was always bound to become the national side\u2019s manager. Having taken them to the final four years beforehand, here he became the second man to win the World Cup as player and manager, following Mario Zagallo. Didier Deschamps became the third in 2108. Beckenbauer also had runners-up medals as both player and manager, incidentally.<\/p>\n

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\n Franz Beckenbauer won the World Cup as both a player and a manager (Bob Martin\/Allsport)<\/p>\n

Regarded as somewhat tempestuous and immature in coaching terms at the 1986 World Cup, Beckenbauer had become calmer, more respected and probably a better tactician too. But while he was one of the more revered coaches to have won the World Cup because of his stature as a player, he probably made fewer decisive interventions than coaches of the World Cup-winning sides in 1978, 1982 or 1986, when specific tactical decisions proved crucial. Beckenbauer played the expected system, and trusted his players to do their thing.<\/p>\n

Tactics<\/p>\n

The classic German style \u2014 at least during this period.<\/p>\n

Beckenbauer used the type of 3-5-2 system he would have enjoyed playing in himself, with legendary Bayern Munich sweeper Klaus Augenthaler (nicknamed \u2018Auge\u2019 \u2014 the eye) playing the Beckenbauer role \u2014 albeit less elegantly \u2014 as a sweeper behind two man-marking centre-backs. Both their semi-final and final opponents, England and Argentina, essentially used the same system.<\/p>\n

The most famous marking job was performed by centre-back Guido Buchwald, who shadowed Diego Maradona so tirelessly in the final that he later became nicknamed \u2018Diego\u2019 back in Germany.\u00a0Beckenbauer, usually reluctant to praise individuals, later said Buchwald had been the side\u2019s star performer.<\/p>\n

Much of the attacking impetus came from the wing-backs, with Stefan Reuter or Thomas Berthold down the right and, in particular, Andreas Brehme down the left, a player who was tireless and capable of good deliveries into the box. But the midfield was genuinely technical and inventive too, with Uwe Bein starting every game until being injured late against Czechoslovakia, Thomas Hassler a genuine playmaker, Pierre Littbarski a small, evasive dribbler and Lothar Matthaus the real star.<\/p>\n

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\ud83c\udfaf Andi Brehme hit a superb winner in the last 16, was crucially on target in the semi-final, and scored the goal that won West Germany the 1990 #WorldCup<\/a>. He was a left-back \ud83e\udd2f<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udf82 Happy birthday to a multifunctional legend \ud83c\udfc6#HBD<\/a> | @DFB_Team_EN<\/a>pic.twitter.com\/1RufVkvwB7<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 9, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Up front, Beckenbauer generally used Jurgen Klinsmann and Rudi Voller; neither of them was quite a goal-poacher in the Gerd Muller mould<\/a>, but they were excellent at running the channels, which was important in the absence of natural wingers, and timing their runs into goalscoring positions.<\/p>\n

Star player<\/p>\n

West Germany probably had three genuinely world-class players. Klinsmann was a top-class striker, Brehme an unusually complete wing-back, and in midfield they had Matthaus, a brilliant playmaker.<\/p>\n

Though Matthaus would later drop back into a more defensive role, and, in the classic German style, eventually became a sweeper, here he was a brilliant attacking midfielder, driving at the opposition and offering a consistent goalscoring threat from the edge of the box. \u201cLothar is the universal player,\u201d said his manager at Inter, Giovanni Trapattoni. \u201cHe is the complete modern footballer.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was most impressive against Yugoslavia in the opening game, scoring two wonderful goals. First he received the ball with his back to goal, turned onto his left foot and curled a low shot home into the bottom corner. Later, he dribbled from his own half into a familiar position on the edge of the box and fired home a shot with his right. He was impressive throughout the tournament, although, as is often the case with star players, more subdued in the final.<\/p>\n

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\ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddea Matthaus = midfield magician. \ud83e\ude84#GoalOfTheDay<\/a> | #FIFAWorldCup<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/6220pa1k7S<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 10, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The final<\/p>\n

A repeat of the previous final, the only time this has happened to date. West Germany defeated Argentina 1-0 in what was, at the time, widely regarded as the worst World Cup final in history. It was the first final to feature fewer than three goals. It was also the first time any side had kept a clean sheet in a final, which is to West Germany\u2019s credit. But, really, Argentina barely tried to score.<\/p>\n

As The New York Times\u2019 Michael Janofsky put it<\/a>, this was a match \u201cthat typified the enduring themes of the monthlong tournament \u2014 few goals, nasty play and dull games.\u201d Both sides used close, aggressive man-marking, which largely rendered the attackers useless, although Voller did have several chances to score \u2014 his movement was fantastic, but he was repeatedly off-balance when meeting crosses, usually from Brehme.<\/p>\n

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\n Argentina picked up three yellow cards and two reds in the 1990 final (AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Argentina lost it as much as West Germany won it, not merely because of their defensive approach, but because they had two men sent off, and conceded a penalty. The first dismissal came 20 minutes into the second half, when Pedro Monzon, a half-time substitute, was beaten by Klinsmann out wide, and attempted to stop him with a terrible, straight-leg challenge into Klinsmann\u2019s shin. The first World Cup final red card was brandished by Mexican referee Edgardo Codesal in a magnificently performative manner.<\/p>\n

Codesal was again the centre of attention when he pointed to the spot when Roberto Sensini \u2014 a midfielder deputising in defence after Monzon\u2019s red card \u2014 brought down Voller in the box. The penalty decision was considered controversial at the time, partly as the German strikers had a tendency to go down somewhat easily. But Sensini went to ground, put his leg across Voller\u2019s path and got nowhere near the ball. Voller later suggested the decision was almost for \u2018accumulation\u2019, after a couple of other penalty appeals had been turned down. Brehme duly scored the penalty.<\/p>\n

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\n Andreas Brehme took the winning penalty with his (theoretically) weaker foot (Bongarts\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Beckenbauer said the awarding of the penalty was not the crucial factor in the outcome, because, \u201cin any case we would have scored, even if it had taken extra time\u2026 1-0 with a penalty doesn\u2019t give a fair idea of the game. We could have won 3-0. I don\u2019t remember a single chance Argentina had to score.\u201d He was right. They had one shot in the entire game, a Maradona free kick which went over the bar. West Germany had 23 shots\u2026 and only two were on target, one of them the penalty.<\/p>\n

Argentina\u2019s second red card was shown to Gustavo Dezotti, a somewhat forgettable No 9 who was playing because Claudio Caniggia was suspended, who reacted to Jurgen Kohler trying to waste time by dragging him down by the neck.<\/p>\n

Argentina went into the final with four players suspended, and had two sent off in the final. It would have been a travesty \u2014 if somewhat fitting for this World Cup \u2014 if this Argentina side had won the tournament. They played seven matches, won two, and scored five goals.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not often West Germany were the neutral\u2019s favourites \u2014 it was very much the opposite when they\u2019d won the 1954 and 1974 editions \u2014 but this was the right outcome. It was also the final match West Germany ever played; they would subsequently compete as simply Germany after reunification. Beckenbauer claimed that with the introduction of players from the East, Germany would be unbeatable.<\/p>\n

You might be surprised to learn<\/p>\n

When left-back Brehme slotted home the decisive penalty, there were two surprising things.<\/p>\n

First, that the penalty wasn\u2019t taken by Matthaus, who had scored the winning penalty in the 1-0 quarter-final win over Czechoslovakia. He\u2019d been forced to replace his boots midway through the game, didn\u2019t feel comfortable in the new ones, and so didn\u2019t fancy taking the penalty.<\/p>\n

Second, that Brehme scored the crucial penalty with his right foot \u2014 four years earlier, he\u2019d converted in a shootout against Mexico with his left. \u201cIn 1986, I was asked why I\u2019d taken a penalty with my left foot, as the interviewer knew I often used my right,\u201d he told FourFourTwo magazine in 2022. \u201cI hadn\u2019t even noticed. It makes no difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

That was what Brehme, who died last year aged 63, encapsulated \u2014 he genuinely didn\u2019t know which foot was better. He seemingly he had more power with his left, taking corners and free-kicks with it in an explosive, pivoting fashion, but was more accurate with his right, so (generally) used that for precise, measured penalties \u2014 and indeed for a lovely, delicate curled goal in the win over the\u00a0Netherlands. The Dutch had been so scared of his attacking quality that winger John van \u2018t Schip was ordered to man-mark him, an almost unprecedented level of attention for an opposition wing-back.<\/p>\n

Many of West Germany\u2019s best moments in the final came from his crosses and set-piece deliveries, so it was right that he was the match-winner from the spot.<\/p>\n

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\n Brehme celebrates his goal in the final (Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The defining moment<\/p>\n

It\u2019s surprisingly tough to find a genuinely legendary moment from West Germany\u2019s triumph. Ultimately, their three goals in their final three games were two penalties and a crazily deflected Brehme free kick in the semi-final win on penalties over England. That match is actually more \u2018celebrated\u2019 by the losers. While England were denied a place on the World Cup final on penalty kicks, the game is nevertheless held up at the moment football in England reached a wider audience, thanks to the emotions of watching Gary Lineker\u2019s late equaliser, Paul Gascoigne\u2019s tears and Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle\u2019s shootout misses.<\/p>\n

Probably the most replayed from West Germany\u2019s run campaign is striker Voller\u2019s spat with Frank Rijkaard in the round of 16 contest, which led to both being dismissed and the match being played ten-against-ten for the majority, with West Germany running out 2-1 winners in an enjoyably open game.<\/p>\n

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\n (David Cannon\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Matthaus scored a couple of fine goals in the group stage, but maybe the most iconic single moment is Klinsmann\u2019s near-post, glancing diving header in the thumping 4-1 win over Yugoslavia in the opening game, the type of goal that he specialised in.<\/p>\n

Were they definitely the best side?<\/p>\n

Yes, which says much about the tournament \u2014 that a team triumphed in such underwhelming fashion, and yet were still clearly the best side.<\/p>\n

But West Germany played genuinely good, open, attacking football in the group stage. Their win over the Dutch was exciting, and their performance in a 1-0 quarter-final win over Czechoslovakia was more impressive than the scoreline would suggest. They are remembered largely on the basis of a penalty shootout win over England in the semi-final, and a scruffy 1-0 win over Argentina. But West Germany often offered more technical quality than they were given credit for.<\/p>\n

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\n The scoreboard in Rome in 1990 tees up the next World Cup (Allsport\/Getty Images\/Hulton Archive)<\/p>\n