The final.
08.07.90 (20.00) Roma, Stadio Olimpico
GER – ARG 1:0 (0:0)
(~74000) Codesal MEX, Listkiewicz POL, Pérez COL
GER: Illgner – Augenthaler, Berthold (75 Reuter), Kohler, Buchwald –
Brehme, Hässler, Matthäus (c), Littbarski – Klinsmann, Völler
ARG: Goycoechea – Simon, Serrizuela, Ruggeri (46 Monzón), Troglio –
Sensini, Burruchaga (54 Calderón), Basualdo, Lorenzo – Dezotti, Maradona (c)
1:0 Brehme 85 p
booked: Völler / Troglio, Maradona
sent off: Monzón (65), Dezotti (87)
Well, everything eventually comes to its end… and thus end was a culmination of sorts: culmination of everything wrong with football in the 1980s. Yes, for the first time same finalists opposed each other in the two World Cups in a row. Yes, the stakes were high – both opponents have been World champions twice and had a chance to equal Brazil with 3 titles. Yes, it was impossible to say that other teams would have been better or at least more interesting and deserving finalists. Yes, big stars opposed each other, starting with Maradona. But it was little football played at the final – it was a battle, a war. It was triumph of ugly football as well – if the opening match of the World Cup set the poisonous tone of the whole tournament, the final did not veer away: the championship started with 2 players expelled and ended 2 players expelled. The pictures provided tell the story well enough. If West Germany – or Germany – seemed slightly better on the field, it was only because Argentina played defensively and visible dominance did not translate into real outplaying and scoring opportunities. Not only that, but the mighty Germans had 2 men advantage for considerable time of the game and their best played against impoverished side. True, the Argentines had only themselves to blame for collecting too many cards having banned players, but even so the Germans had to play dirty tricks in order to achieve their aim: the referee would be blamed at end for not seen the theatrics of Klinsmann first, which lead to the expulsion of Monzon, and later giving a very suspect penalty in favour of the Germans, but the Argentines were no angels and already built a nasty reputation, which the Germans explored. Brehme scored the penalty and very well he did, for after suffering 90 minutes it was more than difficult to suffer another 30 minutes of pushing, kicking, tackling, simulating, or time wasting. Football is about scoring goals, but this World Cup simply reached the peak of the 1980s tendencies: there were no goals. A penalty was becoming the only chance of seen the ball in the net and resolve a game – either penalty extracted by hook or crook during the actual game, or penalty shootout after 120 minutes extremely boring and ugly clash. The only heroic thing about a victory was that it saved the fans of suffering at last.
Losing finalists standing from left: Nestor Lorenzo, Jose Serrizuela, Sergio Goycochea, Oscar Ruggeri, Juan Simon, Diego Maradona.
Front row: Jorge Burruchaga, Gustavo Dezotti, Nestor Roberto Sensini, Jose Basualdo, Pedro Troglio.
Given their terrible start, the fact that Argentina was generally not in shape, and their defensive approach, it was a miracle they reached the final. Argentina excelled in only one thing: collecting yellow and red cards. Brutal and gritty, they managed to go all the way and even to get some sympathy at the end, for not the German machine, but rather the referee stopped them from collecting third World title. Not that Argentina deserved it, but holding their ground with 9 men against the German monsters sparked some sympathy. Losing the final in such way also built safety barriers against criticism for Billardo, Maradona and the rest: what can you do? The referee blundered terribly, if not not deliberately. Conspiracy against us, as Maradona was quick to put it – can’t blame victims.
Third time World champions, a great achievement for coach and team. The machine won again and for many, this time the Germans deserved it. In terms of effort and determination… yes, they deserved it. Beckenbauer certainly deserved to win. As for playing football worth the title… the best to say is that among the equally ugly teams the most consistent prevailed: unlike previous World Cups, there were no dazzling teams which would have been better champions. The triumph of gritty, physical football was really Germany and if that was football, they were the true leaders and champions of it: winners of a war, no matter how. Spectacular diving was introduced by them in 1974 and brought results. There was almost no creativity, but one can always look for some invented penalty. Germany was no fun, but heroes had to be made and proclaimed, so… here they were and forget that Matthaus had no imagination and finesse even remotely similar to Beckenbauer, Netzer, Overat, Breitner, Schuster. Forget that there were no goal-scorers like Gerd Muller – ‘we can get a penalty somehow and Brehme would not miss’. And so it was. Perhaps the real symbol of the whole 1990 World Cup was Franz Beckenbauer alone in the center of the field when the ‘festivities’ carried everybody else away along with the spotlights – instantly forgotten hero, not fitting the official festive scenario, perhaps thinking ‘what the hell happened to the beautiful game’. At least his solitary and somewhat sad figure suggested that. To a point, it would have been better if Argentina won.
But a World Cup has to have a winner and the Germans won. Champions are heroes and so there are the heroes. Heroes are praised, so the Germans were praised – collectively and individually. After all, they went all the way. They scored at the final and Argentina did not. Nothing can be said against the facts.