TOURNAMENT LEGACY

West Germany claimed their third World Cup title, defeating Argentina 1-0 in a tense final marked by disciplinary issues (Argentina had two players sent off). This was the last World Cup for the West Germany team before reunification with East Germany in 1990. The tournament featured a defensive style, with low-scoring matches (the lowest average goals per game in history at the time). Key moments included Cameroon's surprise run to the quarter-finals (beating Argentina in the opening match and becoming the first African team to reach the last eight), and Diego Maradona leading Argentina to the final despite the team's defensive approach. The format remained 24 teams with a group stage followed by a knockout round. This was the first World Cup to have a player (Lothar Matthäus) win the Golden Ball as the best player. The mascot was 'Ciao', a stick figure wearing an Italian flag colors outfit, designed to represent friendship.