Hosts: Italy
Winners: West Germany
Teams: 24
Where were England: Heartbreakingly missing for the final
Italia 90 is generally considered the moment English football was reborn with Bobby Robson’s side taking the nation on an emotional rollercoaster journey, which finally ended in heartache on that dramatic night in Turin.
But away from England’s success, the tournament never really reached the heights of previous editions.
That said, it got off to a cracking start when unheralded Cameroon stunned holders Argentina in the San Siro.
The win sparked a run which would take the Indomitable Lions to the quarter-finals and finally put African football on the World Cup map.
Despite the defeat and two more average showings, Argentina made it into the knockout stages.
Hosts Italy were another highly-fancied side who failed to impress in the group phase, yet by grinding out three victories they took their place in the last 16.
Other footballing heavyweights such as Brazil, West Germany and Spain all safely made it through, but tournament favourites Holland struggled.
The European champions of two years earlier were drawn in a group with England, Ireland and Egypt but failed to make an impression. In fact the whole group was one long borefest.
Going into the final game, the opening four matches had mustered just four goals and there was nothing between the teams. England finally broke the stalemate by beating Egypt, which meant Ireland’s 1-1 draw with the Dutch was enough to see both sides through.
England’s knockout game against Belgium was another nervous, average display but with the game heading into extra-time, David Platt volleyed home Paul Gascoigne’s perfectly flighted free-kick to send England into the quarter-finals.
The two big matches of the round saw Argentina edge out a below-par Brazil 1-0 in Turin, while the Dutch were finally put out of their misery when goals from Jurgen Klinsmann and Andreas Brehme gave West Germany a 2-1 win.
Both sides had been reduced to 10 men after 20 minutes when Rudi Voller and Frank Rijkaard became involved in an ugly spat.
The Republic of Ireland’s dream World Cup debut, which saw them beat Romania in a penalty shootout in the second round, came to an end in the last eight when Toto Schillaci’s goal was enough to put hosts Italy into the last four.
They were joined by Argentina who needed penalties to get past Yugoslavia, while West Germany edged out Czechoslovakia by a single goal.
England looked to be heading out of the tournament when Cameroon led 2-1 with 25 minutes to go, but two Gary Lineker penalties secured a first semi-final appearance since 1966.
Sadly that was to be as far as England went as, after 120 minutes of football, they went head-to-head with West Germany in a penalty shootout and came second.
Franz Beckenbauer’s side met Argentina in the final, after they had knocked out hosts Italy in another shootout in their semi-final. A largely unforgettable match was decided five minutes from time when Brehme’s penalty handed the Germans the title.
Did you know? Italy went a record 517 minutes without letting in a goal in the tournament, only conceding in the semi-final defeat to Argentina.
