Background
The 1986 FIFA World Cup was the 13th edition of the quadrennial international football championship. It was hosted by Mexico from May 31 to June 29, 1986, and featured 24 teams from around the world. This was the second time that Mexico had hosted the tournament, with the first being in 1970.
Participants
The 24 teams that participated in the tournament were divided into six groups of four. The teams were:
Group A: Bulgaria, Italy, Argentina, South Korea
Group B: Canada, France, Hungary, Soviet Union
Group C: Morocco, Poland, Portugal, England
Group D: Brazil, Northern Ireland, Spain, Algeria
Group E: Denmark, Scotland, Uruguay, West Germany
Group F: Iraq, Mexico, Paraguay, Belgium
Format
The teams were divided into six groups of four, with each team playing each other once. The top two teams from each group advanced to the knockout stage, along with the four best third-placed teams. The knockout stage featured single-elimination matches, with extra time and penalty shootouts used to determine a winner if necessary.
Matches and Goalscorers
The tournament featured a total of 52 matches, with 132 goals scored. The top goalscorers of the tournament were:
Gary Lineker (England) – 6 goals
Careca (Brazil) – 5 goals
Emilio Butragueño (Spain) – 5 goals
Winner
The tournament was won by Argentina, who defeated West Germany 3-2 in the final. This was Argentina’s second World Cup title, with their first coming in 1978.
Legacy
The 1986 World Cup is remembered for a number of memorable moments and performances. Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal in Argentina’s quarterfinal match against England is one of the most iconic moments in World Cup history. Maradona also scored what is widely considered to be one of the greatest goals of all time in the same match. The tournament also saw a number of impressive performances from players like Gary Lineker, Michel Platini, and Emilio Butragueño.
Controversy
The tournament was not without controversy, with a number of questionable decisions by referees leading to heated debates. The quarterfinal match between Argentina and England was particularly controversial, with Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal sparking outrage among England fans and media. There were also concerns about the state of the pitch at some of the venues, with players and managers complaining about the quality of the playing surface.
