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The South American (CONMEBOL) zone of qualification for the 1990 FIFA World Cup saw 9 teams competing for 2 direct places at the finals, with one extra place potentially on offer to the winner of a play-off. CONMEBOL member Argentina qualified automatically as reigning World Cup champions.
Teams were divided into 3 groups of 3 teams each. The teams would play against each other on a home-and-away basis. The 2 group winners with the best record would qualify. The group winner with the worst record would advance to the CONMEBOL / OFC Intercontinental Play-off.
The draw for the qualifying groups took place in Zürich, Switzerland on 12 December 1987. During the draw teams were drawn from 3 seeded pots into the 3 qualifying groups.
Uruguay qualified with the second-best record among the group winners.
Uruguay  | 2–0 |  Bolivia |
|---|---|---|
Sosa  31'Francescoli 39' |
Colombia advanced to the CONMEBOL / OFC Intercontinental Play-off with the worst record among the group winners.
Referee: Hernán Silva (Chile)
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Ricardo Calabria (Argentina)
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: Arnaldo Cézar Coelho (Brazil)
Brazil qualified with the best record among the group winners.
Referee: René Ortubé (Bolivia)
1The match was abandoned in the 67th minute with Brazil leading 1–0 after Chile walked off the field when a firecracker thrown from the crowd supposedly hit goalkeeper Roberto Rojas in the head, leaving him bloodied and having to be carried from the pitch on a stretcher; a subsequent FIFA investigation found that Rojas's injury was self-inflicted, using a razor blade concealed in his glove. On 13 September, the match was awarded 2–0 to Brazil, and Chile were banned from qualifying for the next World Cup. Rojas was given a lifetime ban from competitive football (lifted in 2001), as was Chile manager Orlando Aravena, vice-captain Fernando Astengo and team doctor Daniel Rodriguez.
The winner of this play-off qualified for the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
The following four teams from CONMEBOL qualified for the final tournament.
| Team | Qualified as | Qualified on | Previous appearances in FIFA World Cup1 |
|---|---|---|---|
 Argentina | Defending champions | 29 June 1986 | 9 (1930, 1934, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986) |
| Uruguay | Group 1 winners | 24 September 1989 | 8 (1930, 1950, 1954, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1986) |
 Brazil | Group 3 winners | 13 September 1989 | 13 (1930, 1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986) |
 Colombia | CONMEBOL-OFC playoff winners | 30 October 1989 | 1 (1962) |
- 1 Bold indicates champions for that year. Italic indicates hosts for that year.
- 5 goals
- 4 goals
- 3 goals
- 2 goals
- 1 goal
José Milton Melgar- Tito Montaño
- Álvaro Peña
- William Ramallo
- Erwin Sánchez
Branco- Romário
- Paulo Silas
Ivo Basay- Jaime Vera
- Patricio Yáñez
- Iván Zamorano
Rubén Darío Hernández- Albeiro Usuriaga
Álex Aguinaga- Pietro Marsetti
Roberto Cabañas- José Luis Chilavert
- Alfredo Mendoza
- Gustavo Neffa
Andrés Aurelio González- José del Solar
Antonio Alzamendi- Enzo Francescoli
Ildemaro Fernández
- 1 own goal
- Hugo González (playing against Brazil)
- Alfonso Domínguez (playing against Bolivia)
- Pedro Acosta (playing against Brazil)
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