All the Kaiser's Men: West Germany at Mexico '86 – Part 2
February 27th, 2025by Gareth Bland
Click here to read Part 1 of the look back at West Germany's 2025 World Cup Finals after West Germany secured the runner up spot in Mexico's Group E – the original "Group of Death" – Franz Beckenbauer's travelling band moved to Monterrey in the northeastern State of Nuevo Leon, at the foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental.
Where the air seemed as thin as West Germany's chances of lifting the World Cup, Beckenbauer's squad prepared to surmount the knock-out stages of the tournament with a round of 16 encounter against Morocco, the unexpected winners of Group F.
At 4pm on 17th June West Germany kicked-off against the canny Moroccans. After a 3-1 defeat of Portugal they could not be taken lightly and Beckenbauer opted to start with his big gun: Rummenigge.
Although not fully fit the great Inter striker almost scored early on, as a miraculous goal line save from Zaki prevented the Germans from taking the lead. It looked as though Morocco had set out their stall for extra-time until Lothar Matthaus finished the contest with a 30 yard free-kick in the 87th minute.
Zoran Petrovic blew his whistle moments later and West Germany were through to the quarter finals. They got to stay in the hills of Monterrey for the next encounter, where their opponents were to be the host nation.
On Saturday 21st June, West Germany once again kicked off at 4pm. The second quarter final of the day would forever be overshadowed by one of the all-time great contests of the World Cup knockout phase.
Earlier in the day France had edged out Brazil on penalties in Guadalajara, as Michel Platini scored in normal time and missed a shoot-out penalty on his 31st birthday.
In Monterrey, Rummenigge started once more, although he was exchanged for Hoeness in the 59th minute. Pierre Littbasrski also came on as substitute in the second period of extra-time, as both teams prepared for penalties.
When Mexico could only score one in the shoot-out to Germany's four, Franz Beckenbauer's men progressed to a semi-final with France. Commentating for ITV, John Helm summed it up with a resigned "West Germany have done it again"
Moving across to Guadalajara for the semi-final, Beckenbauer's men were gaining some kind of momentum. Two of his three clearly unfit stars – Rummenigge, and Littbarski – were performing intermittently, making some kind of contribution during the games, while the third – Voller – was being used sparingly.
If Rummenigge was unfit then so his French counterpart, Platini, was feeling the strain too. Struggling throughout the tournament, he had been pumped full of anti-inflammatory pills to kill the pain of tendonitis in his ankle.
The greater the pain for Platini, the greater the dosage of anti-inflammatories and so, consequently, the
