Final 29.06.86 (12.00) Mexico City, Estadio Azteca ARG - GER 3:2 (1:0) (~114000) Arppi Filho BRA, Fredriksson SWE, Ulloa COS ARG: Pumpido - Brown, Cuciuffo, Ruggeri, Olarticoechea – Giusti, Batista, Maradona (c), Enrique - Burruchaga (89 Trobbiani), Valdano GER: Schumacher - Jakobs, Berthold, K.-H.Förster, Briegel – Matthäus, Brehme, Magath (63 D.Hoeness), Eder, K.H.Rummenigge (c), K.K.Allofs (46 Völler) 1:0 Brown 23 h, 2:0 Valdano 56, 2:1 Rummenige 74, 2:2 Völler 82 h, 3:2 Burruchaga 88 booked: Maradona, Enrique, Pumpido, Olarticoechea / Matthäus, Briegel
For those not German and not Argentine, Argentina was slightly preferable – they played some football after the group phase, unlike West Germany. Nobody was fool, though – a ‘manly’ match was expected. And that was what the world got. From the distance of time, though, the ‘manly’ match is largely supported by the number of yellow cards – they were many, but Maradona, Enrique, and Pumpido were booked not for some vicious kicks, but for arguing and obstruction. The referee was strict and never lost authority, but one had the feeling that a lot of rough play was left unpunished. Yet, it was lively and interesting match – later considered the last interesting final played. It was and not just because of the five goals scored and the drama lasting to the end, because of the late German equalization.
Argentina cleverly exploited their seemingly simplistic tactic: fight everywhere, slow the tempo, but never forget the German net and construct speedy attacks in every possible moment. Curiously, for defensive-monded team, Argentina attacked a lot. The Germans were entirely creatively hopeless, but attacking was also a second nature for them, so the match was basically a clash of attackers. The Argentines, however, got the upper hand by the 20th minute and to the end of the match were the better team. And their superiority materialized – true, after a terrible and rare misjudgment by Schumacher. The first half ended 1-0 and soon after the beginning of the second half Argentina scored a second goal – looked like that was the end. The Germans did not look capable of anything, Argentina controlled the game, using every dirty trick in the book to waste time, but nothing obvious – they still preferred to attack whenever had a chance and did not lapse into monotonous passing from defender to goalkeeper and back again and again.
It is well known that 2-0 is perhaps the most dangerous lead. It is also well known that one is sure of beating a German team only when the referee blows the last whistle. Beckenbauer did what he could – the same he did in previous games: increased the number of strikers with fresh substitutes and rushed his team ahead. The utter lack of creativity, of any ideas, made the German rush easily deflected and no big dangers to Pumpido emerged. Argentina had little problem defending, so it looked like the whole thing will be just thrills for the fans, but Germans are Germans… In five minutes they scored twice. Out of the blue. And practically identical goals – from left-side corner kicks. Nothing dangerous really… but both times a German was left alone in empty space between late to cover defenders and Pumpido. And suddenly it was 2-2, and it was the 83rd minute already, and Argentina still looked the more dangerous team. And it looked like overtime was coming and in it the tireless Germans could prevail or at least drag the game to penalty shoot-out. Fun or not, suddenly the possibility of West German victory was looming. So many teams were crashed by Germans this way – with late goals, with excellent physical condition and iron will. But Argentina did not break under pressure and reacted with new attacks.
Wonderfully executed couterattack ended with Buruchaga scoring third goal for Argentina.
And immediately after that Maradona almost scored again. Spectacular flight, but it was clean tackle – no penalty. And time was running out, and Bilardo played his last trick dragging seconds in procrastination in making tactical substitution – it was clear that the whole idea was to kill time and eventually break the German tempo. Finally Trobbiani replaced Burruchaga, it was over the 90th minute already, but no matter – in the remaining seconds Trobbiani got a chance to score! Finally the end came.
Argentina was the new world champion! Maradona was joyous with the cup in his hands and joyous was the crowd in front of his house in Buenos Aires, on vigil there, as in a shrine. The god delivered.
West Germany lost the final and it was fair – Beckenbauer had no pretenses and complaints. He said that if the match has to be played again, he will use the same approach, will change nothing. He only wished there were no German mistakes in defense. The coach recognized the higher quality of Argentina over his team and he was right – West Germany had no argument on the field and it was obvious from the start of the championship. No secrets here: Briegel and Schumacher were the only outstanding players in this team. There were no key players even remotely close to Beckenbauer, Netzer, Overath, Breitner. The best playmaker at hand was Matthaus and there was no comparison between him and the already mentioned names. There was no room for improvement. In fact, West Germany did much more than anybody expected thanks to sheer will power. Yet, it was a team difficult to criticize, for before the World Cup at least in Germany it was expected that this squad will not go beyond the group phase of the finals – they went to the final instead, so they were above any blame. With so impoverished team, with so many scandals before and during the tournament, with so much bad press, with so poor way of playing, it was a miracle they went that far, a truly heroic performance. Not likable performance, though. Beckenbauer was the big hero, for he made it possible – enduring harsh criticism, internal fights in the team, backstabbing from some of the players, he had to use not just his football skills and instincts, but to be more than anything involved with diplomatic work on large scale. May be his diplomacy was more important than his actual coaching – hard to tell, for there was virtually nothing one can do with so dull team. Which comes right to the last minutes of the lost final: Beckenbauer somewhat blamed the players for the loss, for making defensive mistakes. But he never blasted against them knowing very well that he tried everything: just like in the previous games, he reinforced his lame attack with fresh substitutes and rushed the team ahead. Having more strikers on the field – the only hope for some positive result – immediately unbalanced the back line. Argentina was not down and out after the result was equalized, it looked for striking back in every possible opening and did not fear at all German pressure. The Germans had no real answer to that, it was impossible for them to change tactics, to go back into defense and drag the match to overtime. Knowing only to run and press, that was what they did – to their own peril. If it was Italian team, the third Argentine goal most likely would not come. West Germany did not deserve victory and even they knew it, recognized it. Yet, they did much more than anybody expected from them and that was achieved almost entirely on will power and determination.
Argentina was the right winner and triumphed with second world title. It was not a team with friends for a long time – Bilardo was under heavy criticism not just at home for his tactics and selection. Argentina was not impressive in the group phase of the finals, but after that was playing better and better every next match. At the final, they were the better option and proved it on the field. Bilardo made few changes and adjustments until he got the right combination and chemistry, but he had the players for that, unlike Beckenbauer. For a team rightly criticized for using outdated defensive tactics, Argentina displayed plenty of attacking football and was attractive team to watch on occasion. Maradona was in the center of everything, it was said Argentina was one-man show, but it was not entirely true – Bilardo had no excuses on the matter, he repeatedly said that he is realistic and if one has Maradona better use him profitably, made the team play for him. Maradona was supreme – and selfless too – but the structure of the team was right and also he was not alone. Batista and Enrique played incredibly strong and useful football. Burruchaga added secondary edge to the team – not only with creative midfield work, but ready to take the initiative in any moment when the opposition concentrated too much on Maradona and there was another opening to be explored. Defensively Argentina was very disciplined and strong, hardly giving any chance to the other team – frankly, Pumpido had little to do in the whole tournament. The big advantage of Argentina was intelligence, though – it was a squad very well reading the flow of the game and able to quickly change its approach according to specific needs. Argentina controlled and changed the tempo of the game, something very dangerous for European teams used to high speed play – Argentina easily slowed down the tempo to make their opponents kind of lost, but immediately accelerated in the next second in attack. Skillful players, the Argentines had no problem finding open space to explore. Physically strong and fearless, they were not beatable by tough and enduring European teams, matching them completely, but adding the special South American viciousness – merciless tackles, arguing, wasting time, simulating, fighting, hunting particular players, every dirty trick in the book they employed. Beckenbauer said that his team made defensive mistakes in the last minutes of the final and thus lost – the opponent was down physically and psychologically, he said, and his team did not use that by pressing further, but stepped back. Did not look so and maybe the German players sensed it better than their coach – the Argentines were not down at all after the second German goal. They were ready to run, fight, attack, as long as it takes. They did not lose their minds for a second, minded defense just as well and scored from a counter-attack, their specialty. And could score at least one more goal after that, when there was no time left. They read the Germans perfectly, that was all – they knew that the Germans would not go back to keep their lucky result and drag the match into overtime, so used the wild shapeless rush of the Germans to their own advantage. And it was not just that, but also pressed the Germans back, took the initiative into their own hands and when it was a matter of seconds… well, then it was full display of dirty tricks. The endless procrastination of taking a touch in their own half, which evolved into substitution of Burruchaga, dragging time with the full knowledge that the referee is going to give extra minutes for that, but also playing with German nerves. Can you blame them? Hardly… for Trobbiani, fielded just for wasting time in the ‘process’ of substitution almost scored a forth goal. Argentina was fair champion.