West Germany lifted the FIFA World Cup for the third time in 1990 as they avenged their Final defeat by Argentina four years earlier, overcoming the holders 1-0 in Rome. Their victory was a real triumph for Franz Beckenbauer, who became only the second man to win the world crown as first a player and then a coach.

The 1990 finals set an unwanted record as the lowest-scoring tournament, with just 2.21 goals per game, but there was certainly no lack of colour or drama. The Opening Match alone provided one of the FIFA World Cup's most memorable upsets, with Cameroon beating Argentina at a magnificently revamped San Siro. With Roger Milla enjoying his finest hour, Cameroon would go on and make history. This was Italy's second time to host the FIFA World Cup. Fifty-six years on from their 1934 triumph on home soil, they spared no expense in ensuring the competition was a success. Ten stadiums around the peninsula received a complete facelift while two vast new arenas were built in Turin and Bari.

Toto the unlikely hero

As Italy found to their cost, however, home advantage only takes you so far. Their ride to the semi-finals included a Roberto Baggio wonder goal against Czechoslovakia and a FIFA World Cup record for goalkeeper Walter Zenga, who in keeping five clean sheets went 517 minutes unbeaten. However, their unlikely hero was the wild-eyed Schillaci, capped only once before the finals but scorer of six goals to earn himself the adidas Golden Shoe. Unfortunately for Azeglio Vicini's side, their dreams of a home triumph died at Argentina's hands in Naples.

This was not the Argentina of 1986 but Diego Maradona was still there, his presence dividing the Naples public who worshipped him for his heroics for local favourites Napoli, that season's Serie A champions. Further inspiration came from fellow attacker Claudio Caniggia, scorer of a fine second-round winner against Brazil, and also goalkeeper Sergio Goycochea.

A replacement for Nery Pumpido, who broke his leg in the second match, Goycochea had made vital saves against Brazil and again in the penalty shoot-out against a strong Yugoslavia side in the quarter-finals. Against Italy he did it once more, his two penalty saves sending Argentina to the Final after a 1-1 draw.

Goycochea could not repeat those heroics in Rome, though, and was beaten by Brehme's 85th-minute penalty that decided a poor Final. Argentina, missing the suspended Canigga, became the first finalists not to score and also the first to have a player sent off when Gustavo Dezotti was dismissed. By the end another Argentinian had seen red, Pedro Monzon, but the better team had won. Sixteen years after captaining West Germany to the FIFA World Cup, coach Beckenbauer had done it again. And in winning their third title, Germany now joined Italy and Brazil as the football world's most successful nations.