The 115 goals from 52 games at the 1990 World Cup in Italy was the lowest goals-per-game average and the final between West Germany and Argentina was arguably the worst ever seen.
There were also 16 red cards and 164 bookings at an average of 3.46 per match, another record.
Appropriately it was a penalty, by Andreas Brehme for the Germans, that decided a sorry final, which included two Argentines sent off. It was West Germany's third World Cup win.
Argentina's performance was typical of the tournament. They reached the final despite winning only two games and scoring five goals in total. Maradona finished in tears.
Cameroon, inspired by the veteran Roger Milla, reached the quarter-finals, while the unheralded Toto Schillaci hit six goals for Italy to finish top scorer.
Some 300 hooligans were expelled by Italian police with England fans prominent in several ugly brawls.
Final:8 July 1990—West Germany 1 : Argentina 0
1990 WORLD CUP LEGEND
Roger MILLA
Cameroon: b. 1952
Aged 38, he had a stunning impact on the 1990 finals in Italy, catching the eye for his celebratory tangos with the corner flag and his goal scoring.
Having made some 80 appearances for his country, Milla was persuaded out of retirement for Italia 90 and helped Cameroon become the first African country to reach the quarter-finals.
He reputedly changed his name to Milla from Miller because he thought it sounded more African.
Milla scored twice each against Romania and Colombia, in the process becoming the oldest player to score in the World Cup finals.
Incredibly, he returned for the 1994 finals when, aged 42, he came on as a substitute to score against Russia in a 6-1 defeat.
1990 WORLD CUP TOP SCORERS
Salvatore Schillaci (ITA) 6
Thomas Skuhravy (CZE) 5
Gary Lineker (ENG) 4
Michel (ESP) 4
Roger Milla (CMR) 4
Lothar Matthaus (FRG) 4
1990 WORLD CUP TRIVIA
- Chile were banned after goalkeeper Robert Rojas pretended he had been struck by a flare thrown from the crowd during a 1989 qualifying match against Brazil. Chile, who needed to win 2-0 to qualify, were losing 1-0 with 20 minutes left when the incident occurred. Chile's players refused to continue.
- United Arab Emirates' Khaleel Mubarak became the 50th player to be sent off in World Cup finals when given his marching orders in the 4-1 defeat to Yugoslavia.
- Paul Gascoigne was England's star as they marched into the semi-finals. An ill-timed tackle against West Germany meant he was out of the final -- if England reached it -- and Gazza burst into tears at the prospect.
- Toto Schillaci followed in the footsteps of Paolo Rossi in 1982 when he emerged as Italy's unexpected goal hero. The feisty Sicilian was the last player named in the Italian squad, but finished top scorer with six strikes.
1990 WORLD CUP WINNING SQUAD
West Germany
Goalkeepers: Raimond Aumann, Bodo Illgner, Andreas Kopke
Defenders: Klaus Augenthaler, Thomas Berthold, Andreas Brehme, Guido Buchwald, Jurgen Kohler, Hans Pflugler, Stefan Reuter, Paul Steiner
Midfielders: Uwe Bein, Pierre Littbarski, Lothar Matthaus (capt), Thomas Hassler, Gunther Hermann, Andreas Moller, Olaf Thon
Forwards: Jurgen Klinsmann, Franck Mill, Karlheinz Riedle, Rudi Voller
Coach: Franz Beckenbauer
