The knockout stage of the 1990 FIFA World Cup was the second and final stage of the final tournament, following the group stage. It began on 23 June with the round of 16 matches, and ended on 8 July with the final held at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, in which West Germany beat the defending champions Argentina 1–0 to claim their third World Cup.
Sixteen teams advanced to the knockout stage to compete in a single-elimination style tournament: The top two teams from each of the six groups, as well as the best four third-placed teams. In the round of 16, the four third-placed teams played against four of the group winners from group A-D, with the remaining two group winners from group E and F taking on two of the group runners-up; the remaining four runners-up were paired off against each other. The winners of the eight round of 16 matches were then paired together in the quarter-finals, the winners of which played against each other in the semi-finals.
The ties in each round were played over a single match; in the event that scores were level after 90 minutes, the teams would play an additional 30 minutes of extra time, divided into two 15-minute halves, to determine the winner. If the scores remained level after extra time, the teams would contest a penalty shootout.
A third place match was also held on the day before the final, between the two losing teams of the semi-finals.
All times listed are local (UTC+2)
Qualified teams
The top two placed teams from each of the six groups, plus the four best-placed third teams, qualified for the knockout stage.
Based on group results, the matches would be the following in Round of 16:
Round of 16
Teams per qualified group positions
Teams identified
Match 1:
C1 – A3/B3/F3
Brazil – Argentina
Match 2:
E1 – D2
Spain – Yugoslavia
Match 3:
B2 – F2
Romania – Ireland
Match 4:
A1 – C3/D3/E3
Italy – Uruguay
Match 5:
A2 – C2
Czechoslovakia – Costa Rica
Match 6:
D1 – B3/E3/F3
West Germany – Netherlands
Match 7:
B1 – A3/C3/D3
Cameroon – Colombia
Match 8:
F1 – E2
England – Belgium
The pairings for matches 1, 4, 6 and 7 depend on who the best third places are that qualify for the round of 16. The following table published in Section 28 of the tournament regulations, shows the different options to define the opponents for the winners of groups A, B, C and D.
Assistant referees: Armando Pérez Hoyos (Colombia) Pietro d'Elia (Italy)
Brazil vs Argentina
External videos
Brazil v Argentina (Italy 1990) Full match on YouTube
Brazil dominated for most of the match, but Diego Maradona went on a trademark run from the halfway line to the edge of the penalty area late in the match, and found Claudio Caniggia, who rounded the onrushing Cláudio Taffarel to give Argentina a lead that they would not relinquish.
As of 2025, this is the last time Argentina played Brazil in a World Cup Tournament.
Assistant referees: Peter Mikkelsen (Denmark) Michał Listkiewicz (Poland)
Cameroon vs England
Apart from anything else, it was the only quarter-final to produce more than one goal. Despite Cameroon's heroics earlier in the tournament, David Platt put England ahead in the 25th minute. At half-time, Cameroon brought Milla on, and the game was turned on its head in five second-half minutes. First Cameroon were awarded a penalty, from which Emmanuel Kunde scored the equaliser. Then, in the 65th minute, Eugene Ekeke put Cameroon ahead. The African team came within eight minutes of reaching the semi-finals, but then they conceded a penalty, which Gary Lineker gratefully converted. Midway through extra time, England were awarded another penalty, which Lineker again scored from the spot. England were through to the semi-finals for the first time in 24 years.
Yet England had grossly underestimated Cameroon's threat, despite the Indomitable Lions defeating then World Champions Argentina in the tournament's opening game and easily seeing off a highly fancied Colombia in the Round of 16. Howard Wilkinson was observing Cameroon's progress for England and informed the players that this quarter-final match represented "A practical bye to the semi-finals". Chris Waddle, emerging afterwards, was reported to have told Wilkinson: "Some fucking bye that". England would not face African opposition in the knockout stage of a World Cup again until 2022's Round of 16 encounter with Senegal.
Cameroon
2–3 (a.e.t.)
England
Kundé 61' (pen.) Ekéké 65'
Report
Platt 25' Lineker 83' (pen.), 105' (pen.)
Stadio San Paolo, Naples
Attendance: 55,205
Referee: Edgardo Codesal (Mexico)
Cameroon
England
GK
16
Thomas N'Kono
104'
SW
6
Emmanuel Kundé
DF
14
Stephen Tataw (c)
DF
4
Benjamin Massing
28'
DF
5
Bertin Ebwellé
MF
15
Thomas Libiih
MF
21
Emmanuel Maboang
46'
MF
13
Jean-Claude Pagal
MF
10
Louis-Paul Mfédé
62'
FW
7
François Omam-Biyik
FW
20
Cyril Makanaky
Substitutes:
FW
9
Roger Milla
120'
46'
FW
11
Eugène Ekéké
62'
DF
12
Alphonse Yombi
MF
19
Roger Feutmba
GK
22
Jacques Songo'o
Manager:
Valery Nepomnyashchy
GK
1
Peter Shilton
SW
14
Mark Wright
RB
12
Paul Parker
CB
5
Des Walker
CB
6
Terry Butcher (c)
73'
LB
3
Stuart Pearce
70'
RW
8
Chris Waddle
CM
17
David Platt
CM
19
Paul Gascoigne
LW
11
John Barnes
46'
FW
10
Gary Lineker
Substitutes:
FW
9
Peter Beardsley
46'
GK
13
Chris Woods
MF
16
Steve McMahon
MF
20
Trevor Steven
73'
FW
21
Steve Bull
Manager:
Bobby Robson
Assistant referees: Vincent Mauro (United States) Jassim Mandi (Bahrain)
Semi-finals
Argentina vs Italy
Argentina
1–1 (a.e.t.)
Italy
Caniggia 67'
Report
Schillaci 17'
Penalties
Serrizuela Burruchaga Olarticoechea Maradona
4–3
Baresi Baggio De Agostini Donadoni Serena
Stadio San Paolo, Naples
Attendance: 59,978
Referee: Michel Vautrot (France)
Argentina
Italy
GK
12
Sergio Goycochea
DF
19
Oscar Ruggeri
71'
SW
20
Juan Simón
DF
18
José Serrizuela
MF
4
José Basualdo
99'
MF
14
Ricardo Giusti
30' 103'
MF
16
Julio Olarticoechea
76'
MF
7
Jorge Burruchaga
MF
6
Gabriel Calderón
46'
FW
8
Claudio Caniggia
82'
FW
10
Diego Maradona (c)
Substitutes:
MF
2
Sergio Batista
118'
99'
FW
9
Gustavo Dezotti
DF
15
Pedro Monzón
MF
21
Pedro Troglio
46'
GK
22
Fabián Cancelarich
Manager:
Carlos Bilardo
GK
1
Walter Zenga
SW
2
Franco Baresi
DF
3
Giuseppe Bergomi (c)
DF
6
Riccardo Ferri
MF
17
Roberto Donadoni
MF
11
Fernando De Napoli
MF
13
Giuseppe Giannini
22'
73'
MF
4
Luigi De Agostini
MF
7
Paolo Maldini
FW
21
Gianluca Vialli
70'
FW
19
Salvatore Schillaci
Substitutes:
DF
8
Pietro Vierchowod
MF
9
Carlo Ancelotti
GK
12
Stefano Tacconi
FW
15
Roberto Baggio
73'
MF
20
Aldo Serena
70'
Manager:
Azeglio Vicini
Assistant referees: Michał Listkiewicz (Poland) Peter Mikkelsen (Denmark)
Assistant referees: Mohamed Hansal (Algeria) Kurt Röthlisberger (Switzerland)
Final
West Germany
1–0
Argentina
Brehme 85' (pen.)
Report
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Attendance: 73,603
Referee: Edgardo Codesal (Mexico)
West Germany
Argentina
GK
1
Bodo Illgner
SW
5
Klaus Augenthaler
CB
6
Guido Buchwald
CB
4
Jürgen Kohler
RWB
14
Thomas Berthold
73'
LWB
3
Andreas Brehme
CM
8
Thomas Häßler
CM
10
Lothar Matthäus (c)
CM
7
Pierre Littbarski
CF
9
Rudi Völler
52'
CF
18
Jürgen Klinsmann
Substitutes:
DF
2
Stefan Reuter
73'
GK
12
Raimond Aumann
FW
13
Karl-Heinz Riedle
MF
15
Uwe Bein
DM
20
Olaf Thon
Manager:
Franz Beckenbauer
GK
12
Sergio Goycochea
SW
20
Juan Simón
CB
18
José Serrizuela
CB
19
Oscar Ruggeri
46'
DM
13
Néstor Lorenzo
RM
4
José Basualdo
CM
7
Jorge Burruchaga
53'
CM
21
Pedro Troglio
84'
LM
17
Roberto Sensini
SS
10
Diego Maradona (c)
87'
CF
9
Gustavo Dezotti
5' 87'
Substitutes:
FW
3
Abel Balbo
DF
5
Edgardo Bauza
MF
6
Gabriel Calderón
53'
DF
15
Pedro Monzón
65'
46'
GK
22
Fabián Cancelarich
Manager:
Carlos Bilardo
Assistant referees: Armando Pérez Hoyos (Colombia) Michał Listkiewicz (Poland)
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