UEFA 1990 Qualification
Preview
32 European teams entered the qualification for the 1990 World Cup: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East Germany, England, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, N. Ireland, Norway, Poland, Rep. of Ireland, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Soviet Union, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Wales, West Germany, Yugoslavia. Italy were automatically qualified as hosts.
The draw for the qualification was held in Zürich 12 December 1987. 13 qualifying berths had been allocated to the European zone (in addition to Italy), as decided by FIFA at a meeting in Zürich on Friday 21 August 1987. The draw gave the following seven groups:

From group 3, 5, 6 and 7 (the groups with five entries), the teams finishing first and second would directly qualify for the 1990 World Cup. From group 1, 2 and 4 (the groups with four entries), the group winner would be directly qualified; the two best of the runner-ups (most points, or, if even, best goal difference) in these three groups would also directly qualify.
The 32 teams had prior to the draw been seeded and distributed in five pots. The precise criteria for the seedings have not been possible to find. Results in the last World Cup and EURO qualification ostensibly counted for something, but why was then for example Easy Germany placed in pot 2 and Northern Ireland only in pot 3?
Group 1
19.10.1988: Greece 1-1 Denmark
19.10.1988: Bulgaria 1-3 Romania
02.11.1988: Romania 3-0 Greece
02.11.1988: Denmark 1-1 Bulgaria
26.04.1989: Greece 0-0 Romania
26.04.1989: Bulgaria 0-2 Denmark
17.05.1989: Romania 1-0 Bulgaria
17.05.1989: Denmark 7-1 Greece
11.10.1989: Bulgaria 4-0 Greece
11.10.1989: Denmark 3-0 Romania
15.11.1989: Greece 1-0 Bulgaria
15.11.1989: Romania 3-1 Denmark
(15.11.1989: Romania 3-1 Denmark take 2/player ratings)
Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Romania | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 9 |
2 | Denmark | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 6 | 8 |
3 | Greece | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 4 |
4 | Bulgaria | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 3 |
Group 2
19.10.1988: Poland 1-0 Albania
05.11.1988: Albania 1-2 Sweden
08.03.1989: Albania 0-2 England
26.04.1989: England 5-0 Albania
07.05.1989: Sweden 2-1 Poland
03.06.1989: England 3-0 Poland
06.09.1989: Sweden 0-0 England
08.10.1989: Sweden 3-1 Albania
11.10.1989: Poland 0-0 England
25.10.1989: Poland 0-2 Sweden
15.11.1989: Albania 1-2 Poland
Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sweden | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 10 |
2 | England | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 9 |
3 | Poland | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 5 |
4 | Albania | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 15 | 0 |
Group 3
31.08.1988: Iceland 1-1 Soviet Union
12.10.1988: Turkey 1-1 Iceland
19.10.1988: Soviet Union 2-0 Austria
19.10.1988: East Germany 2-0 Iceland
02.11.1988: Austria 3-2 Turkey
30.11.1988: Turkey 3-1 East Germany
12.04.1989: East Germany 0-2 Turkey
26.04.1989: Soviet Union 3-0 East Germany
10.05.1989: Turkey 0-1 Soviet Union
20.05.1989: East Germany 1-1 Austria
31.05.1989: Soviet Union 1-1 Iceland
14.06.1989: Iceland 0-0 Austria
23.08.1989: Austria 2-1 Iceland
06.09.1989: Austria 0-0 Soviet Union
06.09.1989: Iceland 0-3 East Germany
20.09.1989: Iceland 2-1 Turkey
08.10.1989: East Germany 2-1 Soviet Union
25.10.1989: Turkey 3-0 Austria
15.11.1989: Soviet Union 2-0 Turkey
15.11.1989: Austria 3-0 East Germany
Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Soviet Union | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 11 |
2 | Austria | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
3 | Turkey | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 10 | 7 |
4 | East Germany | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 7 |
5 | Iceland | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 6 |
Group 4
31.08.1988: Finland 0-4 West Germany
14.09.1988: Netherlands 1-0 Wales
19.10.1988 West Germany 0-0 Netherlands
19.10.1988: Wales 2-2 Finland
26.04.1989: Netherlands 1-1 West Germany
31.05.1989: Finland 0-1 Netherlands
31.05.1989: Wales 0-0 West Germany
06.09.1989: Finland 1-0 Wales
04.10.1989: West Germany 6-1 Finland
11.10.1989: Wales 1-2 Netherlands
15.11.1989: Netherlands 3-0 Finland
15.11.1989: West Germany 2-1 Wales
Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Netherlands | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 10 |
2 | West Germany | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 9 |
3 | Finland | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 3 |
4 | Wales | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 2 |
Group 5
14.09.1988: Norway 1-2 Scotland
28.09.1988: France 1-0 Norway
19.10.1988: Scotland 1-1 Yugoslavia
22.10.1988: Cyprus 1-1 France
02.11.1989: Cyprus 0-3 Norway
19.11.1988: Yugoslavia 3-2 France
11.12.1988: Yugoslavia 4-0 Cyprus
08.02.1989: Cyprus 2-3 Scotland
08.03.1989: Scotland 2-0 France
26.04.1989: Scotland 2-1 Cyprus
29.04.1989: France 0-0 Yugoslavia
21.05.1989: Norway 3-1 Cyprus
14.06.1989: Norway 1-2 Yugoslavia
05.09.1989: Norway 1-1 France
06.09.1989: Yugoslavia 3-1 Scotland
11.10.1989: Yugoslavia 1-0 Norway
11.10.1989: France 3-0 Scotland
28.10.1989: Cyprus 1-2 Yugoslavia
15.11.1989: Scotland 1-1 Norway
18.11.1989: France 2-0 Cyprus
Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Yugoslavia | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 6 | 14 |
2 | Scotland | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 12 | 10 |
3 | France | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 7 | 9 |
4 | Norway | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 6 |
5 | Cyprus | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 20 | 1 |
Group 6
21.05.1988: N. Ireland 3-0 Malta
14.09.1988: N. Ireland 0-0 Rep. of Ireland
19.10.1988: Hungary 1-0 N. Ireland
16.11.1988: Spain 2-0 Rep. of Ireland
11.12.1988: Malta 2-2 Hungary
21.12.1988: Spain 4-0 N. Ireland
22.01.1989: Malta 0-2 Spain
08.02.1989: N. Ireland 0-2 Spain
08.03.1989: Hungary 0-0 Rep. of Ireland
23.03.1989: Spain 4-0 Malta
12.04.1989: Hungary 1-1 Malta
26.04.1989: Malta 0-2 N. Ireland
26.04.1989: Rep. of Ireland 1-0 Spain
28.05.1989: Rep. of Ireland 2-0 Malta
04.06.1989: Rep. of Ireland 2-0 Hungary
06.09.1989: N. Ireland 1-2 Hungary
11.10.1989: Rep. of Ireland 3-0 N. Ireland
11.10.1989: Hungary 2-2 Spain
15.11.1989: Spain 4-0 Hungary
15.11.1989: Malta 0-2 Rep. of Ireland
Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Spain | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 3 | 13 |
2 | Rep. of Ireland | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 12 |
3 | Hungary | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 12 | 8 |
4 | N. Ireland | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 5 |
5 | Malta | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 18 | 2 |
Group 7
21.09.1988: Luxembourg 1-4 Switzerland
18.10.1988: Luxembourg 0-2 Czechoslovakia
19.10.1988: Belgium 1-0 Switzerland
16.11.1988: Czechoslovakia 0-0 Belgium
16.11.1989: Portugal 1-0 Luxembourg
15.02.1989: Portugal 1-1 Belgium
26.04.1989: Portugal 3-1 Switzerland
29.04.1989: Belgium 2-1 Czechoslovakia
09.05.1989: Czechoslovakia 4-0 Luxembourg
01.06.1989: Luxembourg 0-5 Belgium
07.06.1989: Switzerland 0-1 Czechoslovakia
06.09.1989: Belgium 3-0 Portugal
20.09.1989: Switzerland 1-2 Portugal
06.10.1989: Czechoslovakia 2-1 Portugal
11.10.1989: Luxembourg 0-3 Portugal
11.10.1989: Switzerland 2-2 Belgium
25.10.1989: Czechoslovakia 3-0 Switzerland
25.10.1989: Belgium 1-1 Luxembourg
15.11.1989: Portugal 0-0 Czechoslovakia
15.11.1989: Switzerland 2-1 Luxembourg
Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Belgium | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 15 | 5 | 12 |
2 | Czechoslovakia | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 3 | 12 |
3 | Portugal | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 10 |
4 | Switzerland | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 14 | 5 |
5 | Luxembourg | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 22 | 1 |
Statistics
Total number of matches: 116
Total number of players used: 808
Total number of players including unused substitutes: 982
Ever-presents: 48
Leading goalscorer: Van Der Linden (Bel) 7
Yellow/red cards: 263/16
Missing data: A total of six unused, unidentified Cypriot substitutes from two different matches
Goalscorers (289)
7 goals
M Van Der Linden (Bel)
6 goals
M Johnston (Sco)
5 goals
Manolo, Míchel (3 pens) (Spa), T Polster (1 pen) (Aut), F Povlsen (Den), K Türkyılmaz (2 pens) (Swi)
4 goals
R Águas (Por), M Bílek (1 pen), T Skuhravý (Cze), Tanju Ç (Tur), Thom (GDR), Völler (FRG)
3 goals
C Busuttil (Mal), E Butragueño (Spa), M Degryse (Bel), Feyyaz U, Rıdvan D (Tur), B Laudrup (Den), G Litovchenko (URS), D Savićević (Yug), Sørloth (Nor)
2 goals
J Aldridge (1 pen), T Cascarino, R Houghton (RoI), G Balint, R Cămătaru, D Mateuț, I Sabău (Rom), J Barnes, P Beardsley, G Lineker (Eng), J Bosman (Ned), R Bratseth, J Å Fjørtoft (Nor), C Clarke (NIR), D Deschamps, J P Papin (2 pens) (Fra), I Dobrovolsky, A Mikhailichenko, O Protasov (URS), J Ekström (Swe), R Gough, A McCoist (Sco), F Hadžibegić (2 pens), S Katanec, D Stojković (Yug), A Herzog (Aut), K Koliantris, P Pittas (2 pens) (Cyp), S Kushta (Alb), K Nielsen (Den), M Lipponen (Fin), L Matthäus (1 pen), A Möller, K H Riedle (FRG), V Paneira (Por), P Petúrsson (Ice), A Pintér, I Vincze (Hun), M Sammer (GDR), R Tarasiewicz (Pol), P Vervoort (Bel)
1 goal
110 players
own goals: 8
Top 20 ratings list
1 Dragan Stojković (Yug) 7,61 (8)
2 Engin İpekoğlu (Tur) 7,58 (5)
3 Brian Laudrup (Den) 7,50 (4)
4 Glenn Hysén (Swe) 7,48 (5)
5 Lothar Matthäus (FRG) 7,42 (4)
6 Marc Degryse (Bel) 7,36 (6)
7 Pierre Littbarski (FRG) 7,36 (3)
8 Ray Houghton (RoI) 7,30 (8)
9 Gheorghe Popescu (Rom) 7,30 (6)
10 Paulo Futre (Por) 7,28 (5)
11 Míchel (Spa) 7,26 (8)
12 Gheorge Hagi (Rom) 7,26 (6)
13 Bryan Robson (Eng) 7,26 (5)
14 Ünal Karaman (Tur) 7,25 (7)
15 RonnieWhelan (RoI) 7,25 (6)
16 Ally McCoist (Sco) 7,24 (5)
17 Andreas Möller (FRG) 7,22 (4)
18 Rune Bratseth (Nor) 7,21 (7)
19 Ronald Koeman (Ned) and Rudi Völler (FRG) 7,21 (6)
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