This is the 14th article in our Competitor series, which looks back at the men’s World Cup champions through history.
So far, we’ve revisited Uruguay in 1930, Italy in 1934 and 1938, Uruguay again in 1950, West Germany’s miracle in 1954, Brazil’s back-to-back triumphs in 1958 and 1962, England’s famous win in 1966, Brazil’s return to glory in 1970, West Germany’s second title in 1974, Argentina’s breakthrough in 1978, Italy’s third crown in 1982, and Argentina’s unforgettable victory in 1986.
Now, the spotlight turns to West Germany in 1990.
Introduction
The 1990 World Cup is widely remembered as the most negative and defensive tournament in history. With an average of just 2.21 goals per match, it still holds the record for the lowest scoring rate ever. The football on display was so grim that FIFA later stepped in to change the rules, tightening punishments for dangerous tackles and introducing the back-pass rule to speed up play—though, despite some myths, they did not make the goal bigger.
West Germany lifted the trophy in a somewhat underwhelming way, with their biggest matches dominated by penalties and red cards for their opponents.
Still, during the group stage they played some attractive football, and in the knockout rounds they generally showed more attacking intent than most of their rivals.
Manager
Franz Beckenbauer had already captained West Germany to World Cup glory in 1974, and it seemed inevitable he would one day win the tournament as a coach as well. Four years earlier, he guided the side to the final, becoming only the second man after Mario Zagallo to both play in and coach a World Cup-winning team. Didier Deschamps later became the third in 2018.
Interestingly, Beckenbauer also picked up runner-up medals as both a player and a coach.
At the 1986 tournament, he was seen as somewhat edgy and inexperienced on the touchline. By 1990, however, he appeared calmer, more respected, and tactically mature. While some other World Cup-winning coaches—especially in 1978, 1982, and 1986—were praised for bold tactical masterstrokes, Beckenbauer largely stuck to a trusted system and relied on his players to get the job done.
Strategy
True to the era’s classic German style, Beckenbauer favored a 3-5-2 formation. Legendary Bayern Munich defender Klaus Augenthaler (“Oger,” or “Eyes”) played as the sweeper behind two marking center-backs, loosely filling the role Beckenbauer once made famous himself. England and Argentina—West Germany’s opponents in the semifinal and final—used similar formations.
One of the tournament’s most famous defensive assignments belonged to Guido Buchwald, who followed Diego Maradona so tightly in the final that German fans later nicknamed him “Diego.” Beckenbauer, usually cautious about singling out individuals, even went so far as to label Buchwald the team’s star player.
🎯 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. He was a left-back 🤯
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 9, 2021
🎂 Happy birthday to a multifunctional legend 🏆#HBD | @DFB_Team_ENpic.twitter.com/1RufVkvwB7
Much of Germany’s attacking drive came from the full-backs—Stefan Reuter or Thomas Berthold on the right, and especially Andreas Brehme on the left. Tireless and dangerous, Brehme constantly delivered crosses into the box.
The midfield was packed with creativity and technique: Uwe Bein started every match until his injury against Czechoslovakia, Thomas Hässler operated as the key playmaker, Pierre Littbarski served as the diminutive, elusive dribbler, and Lothar Matthäus was the beating heart of the team.
Up front, Beckenbauer most often paired Jürgen Klinsmann with Rudi Völler. Neither was a classic poacher in the mold of Gerd Müller, but both were excellent at making runs into space—crucial in a system without traditional wingers—and had a sharp sense of timing around goal.
Star Player
West Germany arguably had three genuine world-class performers: Klinsmann as the elite striker, Brehme as the remarkably versatile full-back, and Matthäus as the engine of the midfield.
Later in his career, Matthäus drifted into deeper roles and even played sweeper in traditional German fashion, but in 1990 he was a thrilling attacking midfielder—surging past opponents and posing a constant shooting threat from the edge of the area.
🇩🇪 Matthaus = midfield magician. 🪄#GoalOfTheDay | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/6220pa1k7S
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 10, 2024
“Lothar is a complete player,” said his Inter Milan manager Giovanni Trapattoni. “He is a completely modern footballer.”
Matthäus was at his dazzling best in the opening match against Yugoslavia, scoring two sensational goals. First, he received the ball with his back to goal, spun, and drilled a low left-footed shot into the corner. Then he carried the ball all the way from his own half to the top of the box and fired home with his right foot. He shone throughout the tournament, though—like many star players—his impact faded somewhat in the final.
Final
The 1990 final was a rerun of the 1986 showdown—West Germany vs Argentina—and it is often labeled the worst World Cup final ever. Germany won 1–0, marking the first final with fewer than three goals and the first clean sheet in a final, which deserves credit for their defensive discipline. In truth, however, Argentina barely threatened.
As The New York Times’ Michael Janofsky described it, the match “represented the enduring themes of a month-long tournament – few goals, poor play, dull play.” Both teams used tight, aggressive man-marking that effectively shut down attackers. Völler’s movement created a few chances, especially from crosses by Brehme, but the finishing rarely matched the build-up.
Argentina’s defeat was shaped by their discipline—or lack of it. Substitute Pedro Monzón was sent off in the second half after clattering Klinsmann with a reckless straight-leg challenge, earning the final’s first-ever red card from Mexican referee Edgardo Codesal.
Soon after, Codesal awarded Germany a penalty when Roberto Sensini clipped Völler in the box. The call was controversial at the time, partly because Völler was known to go down easily, but replays showed Sensini blocked his path without touching the ball. Völler later admitted the decision may have been “cumulative” after several earlier appeals were waved away.
Andreas Brehme converted the spot kick with cool precision.
Beckenbauer later dismissed claims that the penalty decided the match. “We would have scored anyway, even if it took extra time… A 1–0 penalty does not reflect the game. We could have won 3–0. I don’t remember Argentina having any chance,” he said. He wasn’t far off—Argentina managed just one shot, Maradona’s free kick sailing over the bar. West Germany fired 23 shots, though only two were on target, including the penalty.
Argentina picked up a second red card when Gustavo Dezotti, a replacement for suspended Claudio Caniggia, reacted angrily to time-wasting defender Jürgen Kohler and was sent off for grabbing him by the neck.
The Argentines entered the final already missing four suspended players and finished with two red cards. Given their overall tournament—seven games, only two wins, and just five goals—it would have felt strangely fitting had they somehow won, but justice prevailed.
Although West Germany were rarely neutrals’ favorites—just as they weren’t in 1954 or 1974—the result felt appropriate. The 1990 final also marked the last appearance of West Germany as a separate team; after reunification, they would compete simply as Germany. Beckenbauer even predicted the reunited nation would become “invincible” with the addition of Eastern players.
You May Be Surprised to Learn…
When Brehme stepped up to take the decisive penalty, two curious things happened.
First, it wasn’t taken by Matthäus, who had scored the winning spot kick against Czechoslovakia in the quarterfinals. Matthäus had been forced to change boots during the game and didn’t feel comfortable using the new pair, so he declined to shoot.
Second, Brehme used his right foot—four years earlier, he had taken a penalty with his left during the shootout win over Mexico.
“In 1986 I was asked why I took the penalty with my left foot, because the interviewer knew I normally shot with my right,” he told FourFourTwo in 2022. “I hadn’t even noticed. It made no difference.”
Brehme, who tragically passed away last year at the age of 63, truly seemed ambidextrous. His left foot generated more power—perfect for corners and free kicks—while his right offered greater accuracy. Usually, he took penalties with his left, and he even scored a delicate curling goal against the Netherlands at this tournament. The Dutch were so wary of his attacking threat that winger Johan van ’t Schip was ordered to specifically mark him—almost unheard of for a full-back.
In the final, many of Germany’s best moments came from his deliveries and set pieces, making him the unlikely match winner.
Decisive Moment
It’s hard to pinpoint a single classic moment that defined West Germany’s victory. In their final three matches, all their goals came either from penalties or from Brehme’s heavily deflected free kick in the semifinal shootout win over England.
That semifinal is often remembered more for England’s heartbreak—Gary Lineker’s late equalizer, Paul Gascoigne in tears, and missed penalties from Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle—than for Germany’s success.
One of the most replayed incidents from Germany’s run came earlier, when Völler tangled with Frank Rijkaard in the last 16. Both were sent off after a fiery confrontation, in a match that Germany won 2–1 despite playing ten-a-side.
Matthäus’s group-stage goals stood out, but perhaps the most iconic moment was Klinsmann’s diving near-post header in the 4–1 opening win over Yugoslavia—pure striker’s instinct.
Were They Truly the Best?
Strange as it sounds given the dull spectacle, yes—they were clearly the best team at the tournament.
West Germany played open, attacking football in the group stage, produced an exciting victory over the Netherlands, and dominated Czechoslovakia even in a tight 1–0 quarterfinal win. History mostly remembers them for the penalty shootout win over England and the tense victory over Argentina, but overall, the quality they showed across the competition was higher than many recall.