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)
Dates19 – 27 August
Teams16 (from 4 confederations)
Final positions
Champions Italy (1st title)
Runner-up Hungary
Third place Yugoslavia
Fourth place Soviet Union
Tournament statistics
Matches played64
Goals scored638 (9.97 per match)
Next →

Participating teams edit

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

Groups formed edit

First round edit

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 edit

Team Points G W D L GF GA Diff
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
  • 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 edit

Team Points G W D L GF GA Diff
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
  • 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 edit

Team Points G W D L GF GA Diff
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
  • 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 edit

Team Points G W D L GF GA Diff
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
  • 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 edit

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 edit

Team Points G W D L GF GA Diff
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

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 edit

Team Points G W D L GF GA Diff
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

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 edit

Team Points G W D L GF GA Diff
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

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 edit

Team Points G W D L GF GA Diff
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 –22

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 edit

13th – 16th places (Group K) edit

Team Points G W D L GF GA Diff
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
  • 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) edit

Team Points G W D L GF GA Diff
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
  • 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) edit

Team Points G W D L GF GA Diff
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
  • 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) edit

Team Points G W D L GF GA Diff
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
  • 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 edit

Medalists edit

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

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "HistoFINA – Water polo medalists and statistics" (PDF). fina.org. FINA. September 2019. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  2. ^ a b c 3rd FINA World Championships 1978, West Berlin - Water polo Men www.fina.org


External links edit