Which country won the 1990 World Cup in Rome?

Germany won the 1990 World Cup, defeating Argentina 1–0 in the final at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico. More precisely, the team competing at the time was West Germany, but “Germany” is the accepted modern name for the champion.

The final took place on 8 July 1990 and was decided by Andreas Brehme’s 85th-minute penalty. It was a rematch of the 1986 final, which Argentina had won. Germany’s victory gave the country its third World Cup title, after triumphs in 1954 and 1974.

The tournament is historically distinctive because it was West Germany’s last World Cup appearance. German reunification followed in October 1990, and subsequent tournaments featured a unified German team. That political transition is why historical records sometimes list the champion as “West Germany” rather than simply “Germany.”

Italy hosted the tournament, finishing third, while England placed fourth. The competition was known for defensive football and produced only 115 goals across 52 matches.