The 1990 FIFA World Cup was not the highest-scoring or most free-flowing tournament in football history, but it may have been one of the most important.

In this episode of More Than Just A Score, we travel back to Italia ’90, a World Cup set against the backdrop of a changing Europe, the end of the Cold War era, and the rise of football as a global television spectacle.

We look at Italy’s host selection, the lead-up to the tournament, Cameroon’s stunning upset of Argentina, Salvatore “Toto” Schillaci’s magical summer, Diego Maradona’s emotional connection to Naples, England’s placement in Sardinia amid fears of hooliganism, Gazza’s tears, West Germany’s triumph, and the rule changes that helped reshape the modern game.

From the back-pass rule to three points for a win, Itali ...