SEASON
1986 FIFA World Cup
Overview
The 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico became one of the defining tournaments in football history. Argentina won its second world title, defeating West Germany 3–2 in the final, while Diego Maradona produced a Golden Ball campaign that shaped the knockout rounds and permanently linked the tournament to his No.10 shirt.
Key facts
- Host
- Mexico
- Champion
- Argentina
- Runner-up
- West Germany
- Third place
- France
- Fourth place
- Belgium
- Format
- Six groups; top two plus four best third-placed teams advanced to a Round of 16
- Top scorer
- Gary Lineker (England) - 6 goals
- Winning manager
- Carlos Bilardo
- Matches
- 52
- Goals
- 132
- Country/region
- Mexico
- Current season
- 1986
- Teams
- 24
History
Mexico hosted the World Cup for the second time. The tournament was played in a 24-team format and culminated at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Argentina arrived under Carlos Bilardo with Maradona as captain. After winning Group A, they beat Uruguay, England and Belgium before facing West Germany in the final.
The quarter-final against England contained both the Hand of God and the Goal of the Century. Three days later Maradona scored twice against Belgium, then supplied the pass for Jorge Burruchaga’s winning goal in the final.
Gary Lineker finished as leading scorer with six goals. Maradona scored five, created five more according to FIFA’s retrospective account, and won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s outstanding player.
Records
- Champion
- Argentina
- Runner-up
- West Germany
- Third Place
- France
- Golden Ball
- Diego Maradona
- Golden Shoe
- Gary Lineker — 6 goals
- Argentina Goals
- 14
- Maradona
- 5 goals · 5 assists in FIFA retrospective
Matches
Bulgaria 1-1 ItalyDate: 1986-05-31 · City: Mexico City · Stage: Group A · Home Team: Bulgaria
Argentina 3-1 South KoreaDate: 1986-06-02 · City: Mexico City · Stage: Group A · Home Team: Argentina
Italy 1-1 ArgentinaDate: 1986-06-05 · City: Puebla · Stage: Group A · Home Team: Italy
South Korea 1-1 BulgariaDate: 1986-06-05 · City: Mexico City · Stage: Group A · Home Team: South Korea
South Korea 2-3 ItalyDate: 1986-06-10 · City: Puebla · Stage: Group A · Home Team: South Korea
Argentina 2-0 BulgariaDate: 1986-06-10 · City: Mexico City · Stage: Group A · Home Team: Argentina
Belgium 1-2 MexicoDate: 1986-06-03 · City: Mexico City · Stage: Group B · Home Team: Belgium
Paraguay 1-0 IraqDate: 1986-06-04 · City: Toluca · Stage: Group B · Home Team: Paraguay
Mexico 1-1 ParaguayDate: 1986-06-07 · City: Mexico City · Stage: Group B · Home Team: Mexico
Iraq 1-2 BelgiumDate: 1986-06-08 · City: Toluca · Stage: Group B · Home Team: Iraq
Iraq 0-1 MexicoDate: 1986-06-11 · City: Mexico City · Stage: Group B · Home Team: Iraq
Paraguay 2-2 BelgiumDate: 1986-06-11 · City: Toluca · Stage: Group B · Home Team: Paraguay
Canada 0-1 FranceDate: 1986-06-01 · City: Leon · Stage: Group C · Home Team: Canada
Soviet Union 6-0 HungaryDate: 1986-06-02 · City: Irapuato · Stage: Group C · Home Team: Soviet Union
France 1-1 Soviet UnionDate: 1986-06-05 · City: Leon · Stage: Group C · Home Team: France
Hungary 2-0 CanadaDate: 1986-06-06 · City: Irapuato · Stage: Group C · Home Team: Hungary
Hungary 0-3 FranceDate: 1986-06-09 · City: Leon · Stage: Group C · Home Team: Hungary
Soviet Union 2-0 CanadaDate: 1986-06-09 · City: Irapuato · Stage: Group C · Home Team: Soviet Union
Spain 0-1 BrazilDate: 1986-06-01 · City: Guadalajara · Stage: Group D · Home Team: Spain
Algeria 1-1 Northern IrelandDate: 1986-06-03 · City: Guadalajara · Stage: Group D · Home Team: Algeria
Brazil 1-0 AlgeriaDate: 1986-06-06 · City: Guadalajara · Stage: Group D · Home Team: Brazil
Northern Ireland 1-2 SpainDate: 1986-06-07 · City: Guadalajara · Stage: Group D · Home Team: Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland 0-3 BrazilDate: 1986-06-12 · City: Guadalajara · Stage: Group D · Home Team: Northern Ireland
Algeria 0-3 SpainDate: 1986-06-12 · City: Monterrey · Stage: Group D · Home Team: Algeria
Uruguay 1-1 West GermanyDate: 1986-06-04 · City: Queretaro · Stage: Group E · Home Team: Uruguay
Scotland 0-1 DenmarkDate: 1986-06-04 · City: Nezahualcoyotl · Stage: Group E · Home Team: Scotland
West Germany 2-1 ScotlandDate: 1986-06-08 · City: Queretaro · Stage: Group E · Home Team: West Germany
Denmark 6-1 UruguayDate: 1986-06-08 · City: Nezahualcoyotl · Stage: Group E · Home Team: Denmark
Denmark 2-0 West GermanyDate: 1986-06-13 · City: Queretaro · Stage: Group E · Home Team: Denmark
Scotland 0-0 UruguayDate: 1986-06-13 · City: Nezahualcoyotl · Stage: Group E · Home Team: Scotland
Morocco 0-0 PolandDate: 1986-06-02 · City: Monterrey · Stage: Group F · Home Team: Morocco
Portugal 1-0 EnglandDate: 1986-06-03 · City: Monterrey · Stage: Group F · Home Team: Portugal
England 0-0 MoroccoDate: 1986-06-06 · City: Monterrey · Stage: Group F · Home Team: England
Poland 1-0 PortugalDate: 1986-06-07 · City: Monterrey · Stage: Group F · Home Team: Poland
Portugal 1-3 MoroccoDate: 1986-06-11 · City: Guadalajara · Stage: Group F · Home Team: Portugal
England 3-0 PolandDate: 1986-06-11 · City: Monterrey · Stage: Group F · Home Team: England
Mexico 2-0 BulgariaDate: 1986-06-15 · City: Mexico City · Stage: Round of 16 · Home Team: Mexico
Soviet Union 3-4 BelgiumDate: 1986-06-15 · City: Leon · Stage: Round of 16 · Home Team: Soviet Union
Brazil 4-0 PolandDate: 1986-06-16 · City: Guadalajara · Stage: Round of 16 · Home Team: Brazil
Argentina 1-0 UruguayDate: 1986-06-16 · City: Puebla · Stage: Round of 16 · Home Team: Argentina
Italy 0-2 FranceDate: 1986-06-17 · City: Mexico City · Stage: Round of 16 · Home Team: Italy
Morocco 0-1 West GermanyDate: 1986-06-17 · City: Monterrey · Stage: Round of 16 · Home Team: Morocco
England 3-0 ParaguayDate: 1986-06-18 · City: Mexico City · Stage: Round of 16 · Home Team: England
Denmark 1-5 SpainDate: 1986-06-18 · City: Queretaro · Stage: Round of 16 · Home Team: Denmark
Brazil 1-1 FranceDate: 1986-06-21 · City: Guadalajara · Stage: Quarter-finals · Home Team: Brazil
West Germany 0-0 MexicoDate: 1986-06-21 · City: Monterrey · Stage: Quarter-finals · Home Team: West Germany
Argentina 2-1 EnglandDate: 1986-06-22 · City: Mexico City · Stage: Quarter-finals · Home Team: Argentina
Spain 1-1 BelgiumDate: 1986-06-22 · City: Puebla · Stage: Quarter-finals · Home Team: Spain
France 0-2 West GermanyDate: 1986-06-25 · City: Guadalajara · Stage: Semi-finals · Home Team: France
Argentina 2-0 BelgiumDate: 1986-06-25 · City: Mexico City · Stage: Semi-finals · Home Team: Argentina
France 4-2 BelgiumDate: 1986-06-28 · City: Puebla · Stage: Third-place match · Home Team: France
Argentina 3-2 West GermanyDate: 1986-06-29 · City: Mexico City · Stage: Final · Home Team: Argentina
Top scorers
Gary LinekerGoals: 6 · Type: player
Diego MaradonaGoals: 5 · Type: player
CarecaGoals: 5 · Type: player
Emilio ButragueñoGoals: 5 · Type: player
Teams
AlgeriaType: national_team
ArgentinaType: national_team
BelgiumType: national_team
BrazilType: national_team
BulgariaType: national_team
CanadaType: national_team
DenmarkType: national_team
EnglandType: national_team
FranceType: national_team
HungaryType: national_team
IraqType: national_team
ItalyType: national_team
MexicoType: national_team
MoroccoType: national_team
Northern IrelandType: national_team
ParaguayType: national_team
PolandType: national_team
PortugalType: national_team
ScotlandType: national_team
South KoreaType: national_team
Soviet UnionType: national_team
SpainType: national_team
UruguayType: national_team
West GermanyType: national_team
Sources
Mexico 1986 — highlights, replays, goals and featuresPublisher: FIFA · Scope: Tournament awards, goals and key moments
Argentina v West Germany — Mexico 1986 finalPublisher: FIFA · Scope: 1986 final and participants
World Cup champions — Mexico 1986Publisher: FIFA · Scope: Champion, runner-up, third place and tournament summary
Gary Lineker — Mexico 1986 Golden ShoePublisher: FIFA · Scope: Golden Shoe and six-goal total
Tournament story
Maradona’s Mexico 1986Note: Five goals, five assists and the Golden Ball; decisive against England, Belgium and in the final. · Type: player
Argentina 2–1 EnglandNote: Hand of God and Goal of the Century in the same quarter-final. · Type: match
Argentina 2–0 BelgiumNote: Maradona scored both semi-final goals. · Type: match
Argentina 3–2 West GermanyNote: Brown and Valdano put Argentina two up; Maradona created Burruchaga’s late winner after Germany drew level. · Type: match
Final / decisive match
- Home
- Argentina
- Away
- West Germany
- Home Score
- 3
- Away Score
- 2
- Venue
- Estadio Azteca
- City
- Mexico City
- Date
- 1986-06-29
- Match
- Argentina 3–2 West Germany
- Date
- 29 June 1986
- Venue
- Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
- Decisive Goal
- Jorge Burruchaga, 84th minute
- Maradona Role
- Captain; assist for winning goal
Third-place match
- Home
- France
- Away
- Belgium
- Home Score
- 4
- Away Score
- 2
- Venue
- Estadio Cuauhtémoc
- City
- Puebla
- Date
- 1986-06-28
- Extra Time
- 1
Related
Diego MaradonaType: player · Role: Golden Ball / champion captain
ArgentinaType: national_team · Role: Champion
West GermanyType: national_team · Role: Runner-up
FranceType: national_team · Role: Third place
Gary LinekerType: player · Role: Golden Shoe
Carlos BilardoType: manager · Role: Champion coach
Estadio AztecaType: venue · Role: Final venue
FIFA World CupType: competition · Role: Competition
Argentina 3-1 South KoreaType: match · Role: Group A
Italy 1-1 ArgentinaType: match · Role: Group A
Argentina 2-0 BulgariaType: match · Role: Group A
Argentina 1-0 UruguayType: match · Role: Round of 16
Argentina 2-1 EnglandType: match · Role: Quarter-finals
Argentina 2-0 BelgiumType: match · Role: Semi-finals
Argentina 3-2 West GermanyType: match · Role: Final