Group D. West Germany, Yugoslavia, Colombia, United Arab Emirates.
West Germany
Head coach: Franz Beckenbauer
No.
Pos.
Player
Date of birth (age)
Caps
Club
1
GK
Bodo Illgner
7 April 1967 (aged 23)
15
1. FC Köln
2
DF
Stefan Reuter
16 October 1966 (aged 23)
16
Bayern Munich
3
DF
Andreas Brehme
9 November 1960 (aged 29)
51
Internazionale
4
DF
Jürgen Kohler
6 October 1965 (aged 24)
27
Bayern Munich
5
DF
Klaus Augenthaler
26 September 1957 (aged 32)
20
Bayern Munich
6
DF
Guido Buchwald
24 January 1961 (aged 29)
32
VfB Stuttgart
7
MF
Pierre Littbarski
16 April 1960 (aged 30)
67
1. FC Köln
8
MF
Thomas Häßler
30 May 1966 (aged 24)
12
1. FC Köln
9
FW
Rudi Völler
13 April 1960 (aged 30)
63
Roma
10
MF
Lothar Matthäus (c)
21 March 1961 (aged 29)
74
Internazionale
11
FW
Frank Mill
23 July 1958 (aged 31)
17
Borussia Dortmund
12
GK
Raimond Aumann
12 October 1963 (aged 26)
3
Bayern Munich
13
FW
Karl-Heinz Riedle
16 September 1965 (aged 24)
6
Werder Bremen
14
DF
Thomas Berthold
12 November 1964 (aged 25)
35
Roma
15
MF
Uwe Bein
26 September 1960 (aged 29)
6
Eintracht Frankfurt
16
DF
Paul Steiner
23 January 1957 (aged 33)
1
1. FC Köln
17
MF
Andreas Möller
2 September 1967 (aged 22)
10
Borussia Dortmund
18
FW
Jürgen Klinsmann
30 July 1964 (aged 25)
18
Internazionale
19
DF
Hans Pflügler
27 March 1960 (aged 30)
10
Bayern Munich
20
MF
Olaf Thon
1 May 1966 (aged 24)
33
Bayern Munich
21
MF
Günter Hermann
5 December 1960 (aged 29)
2
Werder Bremen
22
GK
Andreas Köpke
12 March 1962 (aged 28)
1
1. FC Nürnberg
Easy group for West Germany, which was also one of the biggest favourites at the finals. The team improved considerably after the 1988 fiasco, although its most formidable line was defense – even Beckenbauer was trumpeting this and there were observers going as far as to claim it the best ever defensive line. Strong and experienced team, but below the surface… first of all, Beckenbauer already announced that he was stepping down after the finals and his assistant Berti Vogts was to become the German head coach. Looked like more as a precaution against failure than anything else – 1988 was not really forgotten and if the team failed again… Which was quite possible, for the selection was practically limited to 16 players and behind the famous stars… one just have to take a look at the reserves: Raymond Aumann, Paul Steiner, Gunter Hermann… it was clear as day that they will never play a minute. And the team was getting older – 12 player over 28 and most interestingly was the already mentioned additions were ancient as well: Steiner was 33 years old, Hermann – 29. Looked like there was no enough young talent in the country and Beckenbauer had to look among the veterans. West Germany, which was not even sure under what name will go after the unification, was favourite as ever, but it was quite doubtful they will win the championship.
Yugoslavia
Head coach: Ivica Osim
No.
Pos.
Player
Date of birth (age)
Caps
Club
1
GK
Tomislav Ivković
11 August 1960 (aged 29)
26
Sporting CP
2
DF
Vujadin Stanojković
10 September 1963 (aged 26)
16
Partizan
3
DF
Predrag Spasić
13 May 1965 (aged 25)
18
Partizan
4
DF
Zoran Vulić
4 October 1961 (aged 28)
15
Mallorca
5
DF
Faruk Hadžibegić
7 October 1957 (aged 32)
45
Sochaux
6
DF
Davor Jozić
22 September 1960 (aged 29)
17
Cesena
7
MF
Dragoljub Brnović
2 November 1963 (aged 26)
20
Metz
8
MF
Safet Sušić
13 April 1955 (aged 35)
47
Paris Saint-Germain
9
FW
Darko Pančev
7 September 1965 (aged 24)
14
Red Star Belgrade
10
MF
Dragan Stojković
3 March 1965 (aged 25)
33
Red Star Belgrade
11
FW
Zlatko Vujović (c)
26 August 1958 (aged 31)
63
Paris Saint-Germain
12
GK
Fahrudin Omerović
26 August 1961 (aged 28)
0
Partizan
13
MF
Srečko Katanec
16 July 1963 (aged 26)
26
Sampdoria
14
FW
Alen Bokšić
21 January 1970 (aged 20)
0
Hajduk Split
15
MF
Robert Prosinečki
12 January 1969 (aged 21)
7
Red Star Belgrade
16
MF
Refik Šabanadžović
2 August 1965 (aged 24)
4
Red Star Belgrade
17
MF
Robert Jarni
26 October 1968 (aged 21)
1
Hajduk Split
18
DF
Mirsad Baljić
4 March 1962 (aged 28)
28
Sion
19
MF
Dejan Savićević
15 September 1966 (aged 23)
13
Red Star Belgrade
20
FW
Davor Šuker
1 January 1968 (aged 22)
0
Dinamo Zagreb
21
DF
Andrej Panadić
9 March 1969 (aged 21)
3
Dinamo Zagreb
22
GK
Dragoje Leković
21 November 1967 (aged 22)
3
Budućnost Titograd
Expected to finish second in the group. Big name coach and solid squad in which starred Dragan Stojkovic. Not exactly well balanced team, especially when compared with squads from the past, but there was fantastic young talent, which Osim did not hesitate to include in his selection: Jarni, Suker, Savicevic, Prosinecki, Boksic. Thus, the absence of the suspended Zvonimir Boban was no big deal, but the new talent was mostly strikers and that was the weakness of the team: too many bright attackers, not enough good defenders. That is, they were good, not great – except Katanec. Yugoslavia was expected to finish second in the group, but there was also caution – traditionally moody team, the Yugoslavs could easily and for no obvious reason fell apart.
Colombia
Head coach: Francisco Maturana
No.
Pos.
Player
Date of birth (age)
Caps
Club
1
GK
René Higuita
27 August 1966 (aged 23)
33
Atlético Nacional
2
DF
Andrés Escobar
13 March 1967 (aged 23)
N/A
Young Boys
3
DF
Gildardo Gómez
13 October 1963 (aged 26)
N/A
Atlético Nacional
4
DF
Luis Fernando Herrera
12 June 1962 (aged 27)
N/A
Atlético Nacional
5
MF
León Villa
12 January 1960 (aged 30)
N/A
Atlético Nacional
6
DF
José Ricardo Pérez
24 October 1963 (aged 26)
N/A
Atlético Nacional
7
FW
Carlos Estrada
1 November 1961 (aged 28)
N/A
Millonarios
8
MF
Gabriel Gómez
8 December 1959 (aged 30)
N/A
Independiente Medellín
9
FW
Miguel Guerrero
7 September 1967 (aged 22)
N/A
América de Cali
10
MF
Carlos Valderrama (c)
2 September 1961 (aged 28)
26
Montpellier
11
MF
Bernardo Redín
26 February 1963 (aged 27)
N/A
Deportivo Cali
12
GK
Eduardo Niño
8 August 1967 (aged 22)
N/A
Independiente Santa Fe
13
DF
Carlos Hoyos
28 February 1962 (aged 28)
24
Atlético Junior
14
MF
Leonel Álvarez
29 July 1965 (aged 24)
35
Atlético Nacional
15
DF
Luis Carlos Perea
29 December 1963 (aged 26)
33
Atlético Nacional
16
FW
Arnoldo Iguarán
18 January 1957 (aged 33)
58
Millonarios
17
DF
Geovanis Cassiani
10 January 1970 (aged 20)
N/A
Atlético Nacional
18
DF
Wílmer Cabrera
15 September 1967 (aged 22)
N/A
América de Cali
19
MF
Freddy Rincón
14 August 1966 (aged 23)
9
América de Cali
20
MF
Luis Fajardo
18 August 1963 (aged 26)
N/A
Atlético Nacional
21
DF
Alexis Mendoza
8 November 1961 (aged 28)
N/A
Atlético Junior
22
FW
Rubén Darío Hernández
19 February 1965 (aged 25)
N/A
Millonarios
Up and coming coach and team, but still unknown – except Valderrama and Higuita. It was just the second time Colombia reached World Cup finals and since the first time was well back in 1962, no wonder nobody was taking them very seriously: yes, they most likely will try their best and Valderrama was great force, but look at the others – all play in Colombia, except Valderrama and Escobar and even they were hardly much looked after players, but playing for small French and Swiss clubs. If Colombia finished second in the group, that could most likely be due to German and Yugoslav failures.
United Arab Emirates
Head coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira
No.
Pos.
Player
Date of birth (age)
Caps
Club
1
GK
Abdullah Musa
2 March 1958 (aged 32)
N/A
Al-Ahli
2
DF
Khalil Ghanim
12 November 1964 (aged 25)
N/A
Al Khaleej Club
3
MF
Ali Thani Jumaa
18 August 1968 (aged 21)
N/A
Sharjah
4
DF
Mubarak Ghanim
3 September 1963 (aged 26)
N/A
Al Khaleej Club
5
MF
Abdualla Sultan
1 October 1963 (aged 26)
N/A
Al Khaleej Club
6
DF
Abdulrahman Mohamed
1 October 1963 (aged 26)
N/A
Al-Nasr
7
FW
Fahad Khamees (c)
24 January 1962 (aged 28)
N/A
Al-Wasl
8
MF
Khalid Ismaïl
7 July 1965 (aged 24)
N/A
Al-Nasr
9
FW
Abdulaziz Mohamed
12 December 1965 (aged 24)
N/A
Sharjah
10
FW
Adnan Al Talyani
30 October 1964 (aged 25)
N/A
Al Shaab
11
FW
Zuhair Bakheet
13 July 1967 (aged 22)
N/A
Al-Wasl
12
FW
Hussain Ghuloum
24 September 1969 (aged 20)
N/A
Sharjah
13
MF
Hassan Mohamed
23 August 1962 (aged 27)
N/A
Al-Wasl
14
MF
Nasir Khamees
2 August 1965 (aged 24)
N/A
Al-Wasl
15
DF
Ibrahim Meer
16 July 1967 (aged 22)
N/A
Sharjah
16
DF
Mohamed Salim
13 January 1968 (aged 22)
N/A
Al-Ahli
17
GK
Muhsin Musabah
1 October 1964 (aged 25)
N/A
Sharjah
18
MF
Fahad Abdulrahman
10 October 1962 (aged 27)
N/A
Al-Wasl
19
DF
Eissa Meer
16 July 1967 (aged 22)
N/A
Sharjah
20
DF
Yousuf Hussain
8 July 1965 (aged 24)
N/A
Sharjah
21
DF
Abdulrahman Al-Haddad
23 March 1966 (aged 24)
N/A
Sharjah
22
GK
Abdulqadir Hassan
15 April 1962 (aged 28)
N/A
Al Shabab
This was the weakest team among the finalists by consensus – perhaps not entirely incompetent and hopeless punchbag, but very weak. Yes, their coach was at his second World Cup finals and after coaching Kuwait he coached Brazil, but that was all. If another team decided to took it easy, UAE could get a point, but generally they were supposed to put a brave fight and lose.