Water polo at the 1978 World Aquatics Championships – Men's tournament

The 1978 Men's World Water Polo Championship was the third edition of the men's water polo tournament at the World Aquatics Championships, organised by the world governing body in aquatics, the FINA. The tournament was held from 19 to 27 August 1978, and was incorporated into the 1978 World Aquatics Championships in West Berlin, West Germany.^[1]

Water polo at the 1978 World Aquatics Championships – Men's tournament

Tournament details
Venue(s)	West Germany (in West Berlin host cities)
Dates	19 – 27 August
Teams	16 (from 4 confederations)
Final positions
Champions	Italy (1st title)
Runner-up	Hungary
Third place	Yugoslavia
Fourth place	Soviet Union
Tournament statistics
Matches played	64
Goals scored	638 (9.97 per match)
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Participating teams

For the complete team rosters, see Water polo at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships – Men's team rosters.

Americas	Europe	Oceania
Canada  Cuba  Mexico  United States	Bulgaria  Greece  Hungary  Italy  Israel  Netherlands  Romania  Soviet Union  Spain  West Germany  Yugoslavia	Australia

Groups formed

GROUP A

•  Australia
•  Canada
•  Italy
•  Soviet Union

GROUP B

•  Cuba
•  Mexico
•  Romania
•  United States

GROUP C

•  Bulgaria
•  West Germany
•  Israel
•  Netherlands

GROUP D

•  Greece
•  Hungary
•  Spain
•  Yugoslavia

First round

	Qualified for places 1–8, separated in 2 round robin groups of 4 teams each. (Group E and F)
	Qualified for places 9–16, separated in 2 round robin groups of 4 teams each. (Group G and H)

Group A

Pos	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
1	Soviet Union	5	3	2	1	0	17	9	+8
2	Italy	5	3	2	1	0	15	12	+3
3	Australia	2	3	1	0	2	14	18	−4
4	Canada	0	3	0	0	3	8	15	−7

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

• 19 August 1978

Soviet Union	5 – 1	Canada
Italy	6 – 5	Australia

• 20 August 1978

Soviet Union	5 – 5	Italy
Australia	6 – 5	Canada

• 21 August 1978

Italy	4 – 2	Canada
Soviet Union	7 – 3	Australia

Group B

Pos	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
1	Romania	5	3	2	1	0	17	11	+6
2	United States	4	3	2	0	1	18	7	+11
3	Cuba	3	3	1	1	1	9	11	−2
4	Mexico	0	3	0	0	3	9	24	−15

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

• 19 August 1978

Romania	10 – 5	Mexico
United States	5 – 2	Cuba

• 20 August 1978

Romania	3 – 2	United States
Cuba	3 – 2	Mexico

• 21 August 1978

Romania	4 – 4	Cuba
United States	11 – 2	Mexico

Group C

Pos	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
1	West Germany	6	3	3	0	0	27	7	+20
2	Bulgaria	4	3	2	0	1	12	14	−2
3	Netherlands	2	3	1	0	2	14	12	+2
4	Israel	0	3	0	0	3	4	24	−20

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

• 19 August 1978

West Germany	9 – 2	Bulgaria
Netherlands	7 – 1	Israel

• 20 August 1978

Bulgaria	4 – 3	Netherlands
West Germany	11 – 1	Israel

• 21 August 1978

West Germany	7 – 4	Netherlands
Bulgaria	6 – 2	Israel

Group D

Pos	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
1	Hungary	6	3	3	0	0	19	10	+9
2	Yugoslavia	4	3	2	0	1	18	9	+9
3	Greece	2	3	1	0	2	11	22	−11
4	Spain	0	3	0	0	3	14	21	−7

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

• 19 August 1978

Greece	6 – 5	Spain
Hungary	3 – 2	Yugoslavia

• 20 August 1978

Hungary	6 – 3	Greece
Yugoslavia	5 – 4	Spain

• 21 August 1978

Yugoslavia	11 – 2	Greece
Hungary	10 – 5	Spain

Second round

	Qualified for places 1–4 in a round robin group. (Group L)
	Will play for places 5–8 in a round robin group. (Group I)
	Will play for places 9–12 in a round robin group. (Group J)
	Will play for places 13–16 in a round robin group (Group K)

Group E

Pos	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
1	Italy	8	5	3	2	0	26	18	+8
2	Soviet Union	7	5	3	1	1	24	12	+12
3	United States	7	5	3	1	1	25	13	+12
4	Romania	5	5	2	1	2	19	23	−4

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

First round results apply.

• 22 August 1978

United States	3 – 2	Soviet Union
Italy	7 – 2	Romania

• 23 August 1978

Italy	4 – 4	United States
Soviet Union	5 – 0	Romania

Group F

Pos	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
1	Hungary	9	5	4	1	0	36	22	+14
2	Yugoslavia	8	5	4	0	1	32	15	+17
3	West Germany	7	5	3	1	1	36	17	+19
4	Bulgaria	4	5	2	0	3	21	35	−14

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

First round results apply.

• 22 August 1978

Yugoslavia	10 – 3	Bulgaria
Hungary	6 – 6	West Germany

• 23 August 1978

Yugoslavia	4 – 3	West Germany
Hungary	11 – 6	Bulgaria

Group G

Pos	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
1	Cuba	6	3	3	0	0	19	8	+11
2	Australia	4	3	2	0	1	15	18	−3
3	Mexico	2	3	1	0	2	11	12	−1
4	Canada	0	3	0	0	3	11	18	−7

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

First round results apply.

• 22 August 1978

Cuba	8 – 3	Canada
Australia	6 – 5	Mexico

• 23 August 1978

Mexico	4 – 3	Canada
Cuba	8 – 3	Australia

Group H

Pos	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
1	Spain	4	3	2	0	1	24	12	+12
2	Greece	4	3	2	0	1	20	15	+5
3	Netherlands	4	3	2	0	1	18	13	+5
4	Israel	0	3	0	0	3	6	18	−12

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

First round results apply.

• 22 August 1978

Netherlands	7 – 5	Greece
Spain	12 – 2	Israel

• 23 August 1978

Greece	9 – 3	Israel
Spain	7 – 4	Netherlands

Final round

13th – 16th places (Group K)

Pos	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
13	Netherlands	6	3	3	0	0	17	8	+9
14	Canada	4	3	2	0	1	15	10	+5
15	Mexico	2	3	1	0	2	18	15	+3
16	Israel	0	3	0	0	3	4	21	−17

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

• 25 August 1978

Netherlands	7 – 1	Canada
Mexico	10 – 2	Israel

• 26 August 1978

Netherlands	4 – 2	Israel
Canada	7 – 3	Mexico

• 27 August 1978

Canada	7 – 0	Israel
Netherlands	6 – 5	Mexico

9th – 12th places (Group J)

Pos	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
9	Australia	6	3	3	0	0	23	15	+8
10	Cuba	3	3	1	1	1	21	15	+6
11	Spain	3	3	1	1	1	22	19	+3
12	Greece	0	3	0	0	3	9	26	−17

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

• 25 August 1978

Australia	8 – 7	Spain
Cuba	9 – 2	Greece

• 26 August 1978

Spain	9 – 5	Greece
Australia	7 – 6	Cuba

• 27 August 1978

Cuba	6 – 6	Spain
Australia	8 – 2	Greece

5th – 8th places (Group I)

Pos	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
5	United States	6	3	3	0	0	20	6	+14
6	Romania	4	3	2	0	1	13	10	+3
7	West Germany	2	3	1	0	2	23	15	+8
8	Bulgaria	0	3	0	0	3	8	33	−25

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

• 25 August 1978

United States	12 – 2	Bulgaria
Romania	6 – 5	West Germany

• 26 August 1978

West Germany	15 – 3	Bulgaria
United States	2 – 1	Romania

• 27 August 1978

Romania	6 – 3	Bulgaria
United States	6 – 3	West Germany

1st - 4th places Final standings (Group L)

Pos	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
1	Italy	5	3	2	1	0	15	13	+2
2	Hungary	4	3	1	2	0	13	11	+2
3	Yugoslavia	2	3	1	0	2	14	15	−1
4	Soviet Union	1	3	0	1	2	12	15	−3

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

• 25 August 1978

Hungary	4 – 4	Soviet Union
Italy	6 – 5	Yugoslavia

• 26 August 1978

Italy	5 – 4	Soviet Union
Hungary	5 – 3	Yugoslavia

• 27 August 1978

Yugoslavia	5 – 4	Soviet Union
Italy	4 – 4	Hungary

Final ranking

RANK[1] TEAM  Italy  Hungary  Yugoslavia 4.  Soviet Union 5.  United States 6.  Romania 7.  West Germany 8.  Bulgaria 9.  Australia 10.  Cuba 11.  Spain 12.  Greece 13.  Netherlands 14.  Canada 15.  Mexico 16.  Israel

1978 FINA Men's World champions  Italy First title Team Roster [1] Alberto Alberani, Silvio Baracchini, Romeo Collina, Gianni De Magistris, Massimo Fondelli, Marco Galli, Sante Marsili, Alessandro Ghibellini, Paolo Ragosa, Mario Scotti-Galletta, Rolando Simeoni[1] Head coach: Gianni Lonzi

Medalists

Gold	Silver	Bronze
Italy [2] Alberto Alberani Silvio Baracchini Romeo Collina Gianni De Magistris Massimo Fondelli Marco Galli Alessandro Ghibellini Sante Marsili Paolo Ragosa Mario Scotti-Galletta Roldano Simeoni Head coach: Gianni Lonzi	Hungary [2] Gábor Csapó Tamás Faragó Szilveszter Fekete György Gerendás György Horkai György Kenéz István Magas Endre Molnár József Somossy Attila Sudár István Szívós Jr. Head coach: Dezső Gyarmati	Yugoslavia [2] Siniša Belamarić Mirsad Galijaš Zoran Gopčević Boško Lozica Predrag Manojlović Zoran Mustur Damir Polić Zoran Roje Slobodan Trifunović Luka Vezilić Predrag Vraneš Head coach: Miro Ćirković