1990 FIFA World Cup knockout stage
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 match of the tournament held 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 group plus the four best third-placed teams.
In the knockout stage (including the final), if a match was level at the end of 90 minutes, extra time of two periods (15 minutes each) would be played. If the score was still level after extra time, the match would be decided by a penalty shootout. A third place match was also included and played between the two losing teams of the semi-finals.
All times listed are local (UTC+1)
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.
Group | Winners | Runners-up | Third-placed teams (Best four qualify) |
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A | ![]() |
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N/A |
B | ![]() |
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C | ![]() |
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N/A |
D | ![]() |
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E | ![]() |
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F | ![]() |
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Brackets
Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | |||||||||||
24 June – Turin | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 0 | |||||||||||||
30 June – Florence | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 1 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 0 (3) | |||||||||||||
26 June – Verona | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 0 (2) | |||||||||||||
![]() | 1 | |||||||||||||
3 July – Naples | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 2 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 1 (4) | |||||||||||||
25 June – Genoa | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 1 (3) | |||||||||||||
![]() | 0 (5) | |||||||||||||
30 June – Rome | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 0 (4) | |||||||||||||
![]() | 0 | |||||||||||||
25 June – Rome | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 1 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 2 | |||||||||||||
8 July – Rome | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 0 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 0 | |||||||||||||
23 June – Bari | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 1 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 4 | |||||||||||||
1 July – Milan | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 1 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 0 | |||||||||||||
24 June – Milan | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 1 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 2 | |||||||||||||
4 July – Turin | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 1 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 1 (4) | |||||||||||||
23 June – Naples | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 1 (3) | Third place | ||||||||||||
![]() | 2 | |||||||||||||
1 July – Naples | 7 July – Bari | |||||||||||||
![]() | 1 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 2 | ![]() | 2 | |||||||||||
26 June – Bologna | ||||||||||||||
![]() | 3 | ![]() | 1 | |||||||||||
![]() | 1 | |||||||||||||
![]() | 0 | |||||||||||||
Round of 16
Cameroon vs Colombia
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Cameroon
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Colombia
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Assistant referees:
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Czechoslovakia vs Costa Rica
Czechoslovakia ![]() | 4–1 | ![]() |
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Skuhravý ![]() Kubík ![]() |
Report | González ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Czechoslovakia
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Costa Rica
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Assistant referees:
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Brazil vs Argentina
External video | |
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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.[1]
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Brazil
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Argentina
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Assistant referees:
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West Germany vs Netherlands
West Germany ![]() | 2–1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Klinsmann ![]() Brehme ![]() |
Report | R. Koeman ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() West Germany
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Netherlands
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Assistant referees:
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Republic of Ireland vs Romania
Republic of Ireland ![]() | 0–0 (a.e.t.) | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Report | ||
Penalties | ||
Sheedy ![]() Houghton ![]() Townsend ![]() Cascarino ![]() O'Leary ![]() |
5–4 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Republic of Ireland
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Romania
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Assistant referees:
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Italy vs Uruguay
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Italy
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Uruguay
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Assistant referees:
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Spain vs Yugoslavia
Spain ![]() | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Julio Salinas ![]() |
Report | Stojković ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Spain
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Yugoslavia
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Assistant referees:
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England vs Belgium
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() England
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Belgium
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Assistant referees:
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Quarter-finals
Argentina vs Yugoslavia
Argentina ![]() | 0–0 (a.e.t.) | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Report | ||
Penalties | ||
Serrizuela ![]() Burruchaga ![]() Maradona ![]() Troglio ![]() Dezotti ![]() |
3–2 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Argentina
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Yugoslavia
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Assistant referees:
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Republic of Ireland vs Italy
Republic of Ireland ![]() | 0–1 | ![]() |
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Report | Schillaci ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Republic of Ireland
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Italy
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Assistant referees:
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Czechoslovakia vs West Germany
Czechoslovakia ![]() | 0–1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Report | Matthäus ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Czechoslovakia
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() West Germany
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Assistant referees:
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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.
Cameroon ![]() | 2–3 (a.e.t.) | ![]() |
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Kundé ![]() Ekéké ![]() |
Report | Platt ![]() Lineker ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Cameroon
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() England
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Assistant referees:
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Semi-finals
Argentina vs Italy
Argentina ![]() | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Caniggia ![]() |
Report | Schillaci ![]() |
Penalties | ||
Serrizuela ![]() Burruchaga ![]() Olarticoechea ![]() Maradona ![]() |
4–3 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Argentina
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Italy
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Assistant referees:
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West Germany vs England
West Germany ![]() | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | ![]() |
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Brehme ![]() |
Report | Lineker ![]() |
Penalties | ||
Brehme ![]() Matthäus ![]() Riedle ![]() Thon ![]() |
4–3 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() West Germany
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() England
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Assistant referees:
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Third place play-off
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Italy
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() England
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Assistant referees:
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Final
West Germany ![]() | 1–0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Brehme ![]() |
Report |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() West Germany
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Argentina
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Assistant referees:
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