Wales national football team
Encyclopedia
The Wales national football team represents Wales
in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales
(FAW), the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international tournament once in their history, when Wales qualified for the 1958 FIFA World Cup
. However, Wales did progress through UEFA Euro 1976 qualifying to the quarter-final, which was played on a home and away leg basis.
Although part of the United Kingdom
, Wales has always had a representative side that plays in all the major professional tournaments, though not in the Olympic Games
, as the IOC
has always recognised United Kingdom representative sides.
Wales were placed in Group A
for qualification
for the 2014 FIFA World Cup
tournament alongside Croatia
, Serbia
, Belgium, Scotland
and Macedonia.
on 25 March 1876 against Scotland
in Glasgow
, making it the third oldest international football team in the world.
Although the Scots won the first fixture 4–0, a return match was planned in Wales the following year, and so it was that the first international football match on Welsh soil took place at The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham
on 5 March 1877. Scotland took the spoils winning 2–0.
Wales' first match against England
came in 1879 – a 2–1 defeat at the Kennington Oval, London
and in 1882 Wales faced Ireland
for the first time, winning 7–1 in Wrexham.
The associations of the four Home Nations
met in Manchester
on 6 December 1882 to set down a set of worldwide rules. This meeting saw the establishment of the International Football Association Board
(IFAB) to approve changes to the rules, a task the four associations still perform to this day.
The 1883–84 season saw the formation of the British Home Championship
, a tournament which was played annually between England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, until 1983–84. Wales were champions on 12 occasions, winning outright seven times whilst sharing the title five times.
The FAW became members of FIFA
, world football's governing body, in 1906, but the relationship between FIFA and the British associations was fraught and the British nations withdrew from FIFA in 1928 in a dispute over payments to amateur
players. As a result, Wales did not enter the first three World Cup
s.
In 1932 Wales played host to the Republic of Ireland
, the first time they played against a side from outside the four home nations. A year later, Wales played a match outside the United Kingdom
for the first time when they travelled to Paris
to take on France
in a match which was drawn 1–1.
, the 1949–50 Home Championships being designated as a qualifying group. The top two teams were to qualify for the finals in Brazil
, but Wales finished bottom of the group.
The 1950s were undoubtedly a golden age for Welsh football with stars such as Ivor Allchurch
, Cliff Jones, Alf Sherwood
, Jack Kelsey
, Trevor Ford
and, of course, John Charles
pulling on the famous red shirt. Wales made its only World Cup appearance in 1958
but their qualification was fortunate to say the least. Having finished second to Czechoslovakia
in qualifying Group 4, the Welsh thought their chances of appearing in Sweden were over. But the golden generation of Welsh football had reckoned without the politics of the Middle East
.
Egypt and Sudan
had refused to play against Israel
whilst Indonesia
had insisted on meeting Israel on neutral ground. As a result Israel were proclaimed winners of their respective group in the Asian/African zone.
FIFA were understandably reluctant to allow a team to qualify for the World Cup finals without actually playing a match and so lots were drawn of all the second placed teams in the UEFA
qualifying groups. Belgium were drawn out of the hat but they refused and so then Wales was drawn and awarded a two-legged play-off match against Israel with a place in Sweden for the winners.
Having beaten Israel 2–0 at the Ramat Gan Stadium and 2–0 at Ninian Park
, Cardiff
, Wales went through to the World Cup Finals for the first and, so far, only time.
The strong Welsh squad
made their mark in Sweden, drawing all the matches in their group against Hungary
, Mexico
and Sweden
before defeating Hungary in a play off match to reach the quarter-finals against Brazil. However, Wales' chances of victory against Brazil were hampered by an injury to John Charles that ruled him out of the match. Wales lost 1–0 with 17-year-old Pelé
scoring the only goal of the game and Brazil went on to win the championship.
since its inception in 1960. However, in 1976, they did reach the last eight of the competition, having finished top of qualifying group 2 ahead of Hungary
, Austria
and Luxembourg
.
Prior to 1980, only four countries qualified for the final stages of the competition, and Wales were drawn to play against the winners of group 3 Yugoslavia
, in a two legged match. Wales lost the first leg 2–0 in Zagreb
and were knocked out of the competition having only managed a 1–1 draw in a bad-tempered return leg at Ninian Park which was marred by crowd trouble. This led to Wales initially being banned from the 1980 tournament, although this penalty was reduced on appeal to a ban on qualifying games being played within 100 miles of Cardiff for four years.
The following year, Wales defeated England on English soil for the first time in 42 years and secured their only victory to date at Wembley thanks to a Leighton James penalty. Another notable achievement came in 1980, as Wales tore England apart in one of the best performances ever witnessed by a Welsh side. Goals from Mickey Thomas
, Ian Walsh
, Leighton James and an own goal by Phil Thompson
saw Wales thrash England 4–1 at The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, just four days after England had beaten the then-world champions, Argentina
.
In the 1982 World Cup qualifiers, Wales came extremely close to qualification, a 3–0 defeat against the USSR in their final game meant they missed out on goal difference, but the real damage had been done by their failure to beat Iceland in their last home game, the match eventually finishing 2–2 after several hold-ups due to floodlight failures.
Manchester United
youngster Mark Hughes
marked his debut for Wales by scoring the only goal of the game as England were defeated once again in 1984. The following season, Hughes was again on target, scoring a wonder goal as Wales thrashed Spain
3–0 at The Racecourse during qualification for Mexico 86
. However, despite beating Scotland 1–0 at Hampden Park, it was again Iceland that wrecked Welsh hopes by beating Wales 1–0 in Reykjavik and for the second World Cup in a row Wales missed out on goal difference. Wales had to win their last match at home to Scotland to be guaranteed at least a play-off, but were held to a 1–1 draw in a match marred by the death of Scotland manager Jock Stein
who collapsed from a heart attack at the end of the game.
Wales attained their highest ever FIFA ranking of 27th in August 1993.
Wales came close, once again, to qualifying for a major championship when they came within a whisker of reaching the 1994 FIFA World Cup
. Needing to win the final game of the group at home to Romania
, Paul Bodin
missed a penalty when the scores were level 1–1; Romania went on to win 2–1.
Following the failure to qualify Yorath's contract as manager of the national side was not renewed by the FAW and John Toshack
, then manager of Real Sociedad
, was appointed as a part-time manager. However, Toshack resigned after just one game – a 3–1 defeat to Norway
– citing problems with the FAW as his reason for leaving, although he was sure to have been shocked at being booed off the pitch at Ninian Park by the Welsh fans still reeling from the dismissal of Yorath. Mike Smith
took the reins for the start of the Euro 96 qualifiers, which saw Wales slip to embarrassing defeats against Moldova
and Georgia
before Bobby Gould
was appointed in June 1995.
Gould's time in charge of Wales is seen as a dark period by Welsh football fans. His questionable tactics and public fallings-out with players such as Nathan Blake
, Robbie Savage
and Mark Hughes, coupled with embarrassing defeats to club side Leyton Orient
and a 7–1 thrashing by the Netherlands
in 1996 did not make him a popular figure within Wales. Gould finally resigned following a 4–0 defeat to Italy
in 1999, and the FAW turned to two legends of the national team, Neville Southall
and Mark Hughes to take temporary charge of the game against Denmark
four days later, with Hughes later being appointed on a permanent basis.
in the play-offs
. The defeat, however, was not without its controversy as Russian midfield player, Yegor Titov, tested positive for the use of a banned substance after the first qualifying leg, a scoreless draw in Moscow. However, the sport's governing body decided to take no action against the Football Union of Russia
(Российский Футбольный Союз) other than instructing them not to play Titov again, and the Russian team went on to beat Wales in Cardiff 1–0 to qualify for UEFA Euro 2004.
Following a disappointing start to 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 6, Hughes left his role with the national team to take over as manager of English Premier League outfit Blackburn Rovers
. On 12 November 2004, John Toshack
was appointed manager for the second time.
In UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying, Wales were drawn in Group D alongside Germany
, the Czech Republic
, Slovakia
, Republic of Ireland
, Cyprus
and San Marino
. The team's performance was disappointing, finishing fifth in the group with expected defeat at home to Germany yet an unexpected draw away, a loss away and a goalless draw at home to the Czech Republic, a loss away and 2–2 draw at home to the Republic of Ireland, a 3–0 home win and uninspiring 2–1 away win against minnows San Marino, a 3–1 home win and 3–1 away defeat against Cyprus, and a spectacularly mixed performance against Slovakia, losing 5–1 at home and winning 5–2 away. However, better performances towards the end of the competition by a team containing, of necessity because of injuries and suspensions of senior players, no fewer than five players who were eligible for selection for the Under-21 squad was viewed as a hopeful sign of future progress for the team.
In 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 4, Wales made a promising start, winning 1–0 and 2–0 against Azerbaijan
and Liechtenstein
, respectively. However, they lost their next game against Russia
in Moscow, 2–1, after Joe Ledley
had briefly drawn them level. The qualifying campaign showed signs of promise when the team managed to prevent Germany
from scoring for 74 minutes of their match in Mönchengladbach
, but the match eventually finished 1–0 to Germany. Two 2–0 home defeats by Finland
and Germany in Spring 2009 effectively put paid to Wales' hopes of qualification.
Wales were drawn in UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying Group G
with Montenegro
, Bulgaria
, Switzerland
and close rivals England
. Wales lost 1–0 away to Montenegro in their opening game and, on 9 September 2010, John Toshack
stood down as manager after being disappointed at previous results in 2010 against Croatia
and the opening UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier.
The Wales Under-21
coach Brian Flynn
took over from Toshack as caretaker manager with a view to a possible permanent appointment but a 1–0 home defeat to Bulgaria and 4–1 away loss to Switzerland meant that the FAW passed over Flynn.
was appointed as the new permanent manager on 14 December 2010. Speed's first game as Wales manager was 8 February 2011 in the inaugural Nations Cup, which the Republic of Ireland
won 3–0. Speed's first competitive match was the Euro 2012 qualifier at home to England 26 March 2011 and Speed appointed twenty year old Aaron Ramsey
captain, making Ramsey the youngest ever Wales captain. Wales lost to England 2–0 and in August 2011 Wales attained their lowest ever FIFA world ranking of 117th. This was followed by a 2–1 home win against Montenegro, a 1–0 away loss to England, a 2–0 home win against Switzerland and a 1–0 away win against Bulgaria. Consequently in October 2011, Wales had rapidly risen to 45th in the FIFA rankings. Speed's last match as Manager of Wales was the 4-1 home win in a friendly match versus Norway on 12 November 2011.
Speed's tenure as manager ended in tragic circumstances two weeks later when he was found dead at his home on 27 November, having apparently committed suicide.
, Wales were placed in the sixth pot and drawn in Group A
with Croatia
, Serbia
, Belgium, Scotland
and Macedonia.
, a Great Britain team would qualify as of right of being the host nation. However, the FAW stressed it was strongly against the proposal. A compromise was eventually reached between the four UK associations, whereby a squad of only English players could represent Great Britain.
, Cardiff
. The stadium was built in 1999 on the site of the old National Stadium
, known as Cardiff Arms Park
, as the Welsh Rugby Union
(WRU) had been chosen to host the 1999 Rugby World Cup
. Prior to 1989, Wales played their home games at the grounds of Cardiff City F.C.
, Swansea City A.F.C.
and Wrexham F.C., but then came to an agreement with the WRU to use Cardiff Arms Park and, subsequently, the Millennium Stadium.
Wales' first football match at the Millennium Stadium was against Finland
on 29 March 2000. The Finns won the match 2–1, with Jari Litmanen
becoming the first player to score a goal at the stadium. Ryan Giggs
scored Wales' goal in the match, becoming the first Welshman to score at the stadium.
In recent seasons, some friendly home matches have been played at Cardiff City Stadium, the Liberty Stadium, Swansea
and the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham
. However, with little recent success on the field, the 74,500 capacity Millennium stadium has only been around 20–40% full, leading to calls for some international matches to be held at these smaller stadiums with capacities of 15,500–27,000.
named the following Wales squad for the friendly match against Norway
on 12 November 2011. Lewis Price
and Lewin Nyatanga
were subsequently added to the squad.
Caps and goals updated as 13 November 2011.
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Welsh Sports Hall of Fame
inductees:
Welsh inductees to the English Football Hall of Fame
:
Welsh inductees to the Football League 100 Legends
:
Welsh Inductee to the PFA Team of the Year (Top Division)
:
Prior to 1954 the Welsh team was chosen by a panel of selectors with the team captain fulfilling the role of coach.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales
Football Association of Wales
The Football Association of Wales is the governing body of association football in Wales. It is a member of FIFA, UEFA and the IFAB.Established in 1876 , it is the third-oldest national association in the world, and is one of the four associations The Football Association of Wales (FAW) is the...
(FAW), the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international tournament once in their history, when Wales qualified for the 1958 FIFA World Cup
1958 FIFA World Cup
The 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European...
. However, Wales did progress through UEFA Euro 1976 qualifying to the quarter-final, which was played on a home and away leg basis.
Although part of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Wales has always had a representative side that plays in all the major professional tournaments, though not in the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, as the IOC
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
has always recognised United Kingdom representative sides.
Wales were placed in Group A
2014 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group A
The 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group A is a UEFA qualifying group for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The group comprises Croatia, Serbia, Belgium, Scotland, Macedonia and Wales.The group winners will qualify directly for the 2014 FIFA World Cup...
for qualification
2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
The 2014 FIFA World Cup will feature 32 teams. One place was allocated to the hosts, , but no automatic place is given to the defending champions, . The remaining 31 places will be determined by a qualification process, in which entrants from among the other 207 teams from the six FIFA...
for the 2014 FIFA World Cup
2014 FIFA World Cup
The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be the 20th FIFA World Cup, an international association football tournament that will take place in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014....
tournament alongside Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
, Serbia
Serbia national football team
The Serbia national football team represents Serbia in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia, the governing body for football in Serbia. Serbia's home ground is Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and their last head coach was Vladimir Petrović...
, Belgium, Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
and Macedonia.
The early years
Wales played its first competitive matchScotland v Wales (1876)
The first international match for the Wales national football team came on 25 March 1876 when they played Scotland at Hamilton Crescent, Partick, the home of the West of Scotland Cricket Club, with the Scots claiming an emphatic 4–0 victory...
on 25 March 1876 against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, making it the third oldest international football team in the world.
Although the Scots won the first fixture 4–0, a return match was planned in Wales the following year, and so it was that the first international football match on Welsh soil took place at The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
on 5 March 1877. Scotland took the spoils winning 2–0.
Wales' first match against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
came in 1879 – a 2–1 defeat at the Kennington Oval, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and in 1882 Wales faced Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
for the first time, winning 7–1 in Wrexham.
The associations of the four Home Nations
Home Nations
Home Nations is a collective term with one of two meanings depending on the context. Politically, it means the nations of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom...
met in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
on 6 December 1882 to set down a set of worldwide rules. This meeting saw the establishment of the International Football Association Board
International Football Association Board
The International Football Association Board is the body that determines the Laws of the Game of association football.-Operations:...
(IFAB) to approve changes to the rules, a task the four associations still perform to this day.
The 1883–84 season saw the formation of the British Home Championship
British Home Championship
The British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
, a tournament which was played annually between England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, until 1983–84. Wales were champions on 12 occasions, winning outright seven times whilst sharing the title five times.
The FAW became members of FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
, world football's governing body, in 1906, but the relationship between FIFA and the British associations was fraught and the British nations withdrew from FIFA in 1928 in a dispute over payments to amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
players. As a result, Wales did not enter the first three World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
s.
In 1932 Wales played host to the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
, the first time they played against a side from outside the four home nations. A year later, Wales played a match outside the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for the first time when they travelled to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to take on France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in a match which was drawn 1–1.
Post-war
Wales, along with the other four home nations, rejoined FIFA in 1946 and took part in the qualifying rounds for the 1950 World Cup1950 FIFA World Cup
The 1950 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July, was the fourth FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup since 1938, the planned 1942 and 1946 competitions having been canceled owing to World War II...
, the 1949–50 Home Championships being designated as a qualifying group. The top two teams were to qualify for the finals in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, but Wales finished bottom of the group.
The 1950s were undoubtedly a golden age for Welsh football with stars such as Ivor Allchurch
Ivor Allchurch
Ivor John Allchurch MBE was a Welsh international footballer. His brother was Len Allchurch.Known as 'The Golden Boy' of Welsh football, Allchurch played for Swansea Town, Newcastle United and Cardiff City, where he amassed 691 games scoring 249 goals. His record of 68 caps for Wales stood until...
, Cliff Jones, Alf Sherwood
Alf Sherwood
Alfred Thomas "Alf" Sherwood was a Welsh international footballer. Between 1947 and 1957, he gained a total of 41 Caps....
, Jack Kelsey
Jack Kelsey
Alfred John "Jack" Kelsey was a Welsh international football goalkeeper, who also played for Arsenal. He is regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers to play for Wales.- Early career :...
, Trevor Ford
Trevor Ford
Trevor Ford was a Welsh international centre forward footballer who played for Aston Villa, Cardiff City, Sunderland and Swansea Town. He was born and died in Swansea.-Football career:...
and, of course, John Charles
John Charles
William John Charles, CBE , commonly known as John Charles, was a Welsh international footballer best remembered for spells with Leeds United and Juventus. Rated by many as the greatest all-round footballer ever to come from Wales, he was equally adept at centre-forward or centre-back...
pulling on the famous red shirt. Wales made its only World Cup appearance in 1958
1958 FIFA World Cup
The 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European...
but their qualification was fortunate to say the least. Having finished second to Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia national football team
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
in qualifying Group 4, the Welsh thought their chances of appearing in Sweden were over. But the golden generation of Welsh football had reckoned without the politics of the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
.
Egypt and Sudan
Sudan national football team
The Sudan national football team represents Sudan in association football and is controlled by the Sudan Football Association, the governing body for football in Sudan. Sudan's home ground is Al Merreikh Stadium in Omdurman and their head coach is Mohammed Abdullah Mazda...
had refused to play against Israel
Israel national football team
The Israel national football team is the national football team of Israel, controlled by the Israel Football Association .Israel National Football is the direct successor of the Eretz Yisrael National Team during British Mandate...
whilst Indonesia
Indonesia national football team
The Indonesia national football team represents Indonesia in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Indonesia . Prior to independence in 1945, the team competed as the Dutch East Indies national football team. Under this name, Indonesia was the first Asian team to...
had insisted on meeting Israel on neutral ground. As a result Israel were proclaimed winners of their respective group in the Asian/African zone.
FIFA were understandably reluctant to allow a team to qualify for the World Cup finals without actually playing a match and so lots were drawn of all the second placed teams in the UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
qualifying groups. Belgium were drawn out of the hat but they refused and so then Wales was drawn and awarded a two-legged play-off match against Israel with a place in Sweden for the winners.
Having beaten Israel 2–0 at the Ramat Gan Stadium and 2–0 at Ninian Park
Ninian Park
Ninian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales went through to the World Cup Finals for the first and, so far, only time.
The strong Welsh squad
1958 FIFA World Cup squads
-West Germany:Head coach: Sepp Herberger* Players no. 18-21 did not travel to Sweden.-Northern Ireland:Head coach: Peter Doherty* Players no. 18-22 did not travel to Sweden...
made their mark in Sweden, drawing all the matches in their group against Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
, Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
and Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
before defeating Hungary in a play off match to reach the quarter-finals against Brazil. However, Wales' chances of victory against Brazil were hampered by an injury to John Charles that ruled him out of the match. Wales lost 1–0 with 17-year-old Pelé
Pelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
scoring the only goal of the game and Brazil went on to win the championship.
The 1970s and 1980s
Wales have never qualified for the final stages of the European ChampionshipsUEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
since its inception in 1960. However, in 1976, they did reach the last eight of the competition, having finished top of qualifying group 2 ahead of Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
, Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
and Luxembourg
Luxembourg national football team
The Luxembourg national football team is the national football team of Luxembourg, and is controlled by the Luxembourg Football Federation. The team play most of their home matches at the Stade Josy Barthel, in Luxembourg.- History :...
.
Prior to 1980, only four countries qualified for the final stages of the competition, and Wales were drawn to play against the winners of group 3 Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
, in a two legged match. Wales lost the first leg 2–0 in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
and were knocked out of the competition having only managed a 1–1 draw in a bad-tempered return leg at Ninian Park which was marred by crowd trouble. This led to Wales initially being banned from the 1980 tournament, although this penalty was reduced on appeal to a ban on qualifying games being played within 100 miles of Cardiff for four years.
The following year, Wales defeated England on English soil for the first time in 42 years and secured their only victory to date at Wembley thanks to a Leighton James penalty. Another notable achievement came in 1980, as Wales tore England apart in one of the best performances ever witnessed by a Welsh side. Goals from Mickey Thomas
Mickey Thomas (football)
Michael Reginald "Mickey" Thomas is a former football player. As a Welsh international, he made 51 appearances and scored four goals.-Biography:...
, Ian Walsh
Ian Walsh (footballer)
Ian Patrick Walsh is a former Wales international footballer.-Club career:Walsh began his career at Crystal Palace, winning the FA Youth Cup in 1977, before forcing his way into the first team, making his debut in a 2-1 defeat to Chester City on 4 September 1976 at the age of 18, where he was a...
, Leighton James and an own goal by Phil Thompson
Phil Thompson
Philip Bernard Thompson is a retired English footballer, who played as a defender for Liverpool team of the 1970s and 1980s. During this time, he also represented the England national football team on 42 occasions...
saw Wales thrash England 4–1 at The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, just four days after England had beaten the then-world champions, Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
.
In the 1982 World Cup qualifiers, Wales came extremely close to qualification, a 3–0 defeat against the USSR in their final game meant they missed out on goal difference, but the real damage had been done by their failure to beat Iceland in their last home game, the match eventually finishing 2–2 after several hold-ups due to floodlight failures.
Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
youngster Mark Hughes
Mark Hughes
Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals....
marked his debut for Wales by scoring the only goal of the game as England were defeated once again in 1984. The following season, Hughes was again on target, scoring a wonder goal as Wales thrashed Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
3–0 at The Racecourse during qualification for Mexico 86
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
. However, despite beating Scotland 1–0 at Hampden Park, it was again Iceland that wrecked Welsh hopes by beating Wales 1–0 in Reykjavik and for the second World Cup in a row Wales missed out on goal difference. Wales had to win their last match at home to Scotland to be guaranteed at least a play-off, but were held to a 1–1 draw in a match marred by the death of Scotland manager Jock Stein
Jock Stein
John 'Jock' Stein CBE was a Scottish association football player and manager. He became the first manager of a British side to win the European Cup, with Celtic in 1967...
who collapsed from a heart attack at the end of the game.
1990–2000
Under Terry YorathTerry Yorath
Terence Charles Yorath is a former footballer and has been a manager at both club and international level. He is also the father of television presenter Gabby Logan....
Wales attained their highest ever FIFA ranking of 27th in August 1993.
Wales came close, once again, to qualifying for a major championship when they came within a whisker of reaching the 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
. Needing to win the final game of the group at home to Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
, Paul Bodin
Paul Bodin
Paul John Bodin is a former Wales international footballer. A left-back, Bodin's domestic career is probably best remembered for his two spells at Swindon Town.-Career:...
missed a penalty when the scores were level 1–1; Romania went on to win 2–1.
Following the failure to qualify Yorath's contract as manager of the national side was not renewed by the FAW and John Toshack
John Toshack
John Benjamin Toshack OBE is a Welsh former footballer and manager. He is currently the manager of Macedonia. He has also managed several others clubs including Swansea City, who he took from the Fourth Division to the First in four seasons.As a player, he is remembered for being part of the...
, then manager of Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in the city of San Sebastián, Basque Country, founded on 7 September 1909...
, was appointed as a part-time manager. However, Toshack resigned after just one game – a 3–1 defeat to Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
– citing problems with the FAW as his reason for leaving, although he was sure to have been shocked at being booed off the pitch at Ninian Park by the Welsh fans still reeling from the dismissal of Yorath. Mike Smith
Mike Smith (football manager)
Mike Smith is an English former football manager. Before becoming a manager, he had a playing career as an amateur, playing for the Corinthian Casuals and was a part of the Great Britain squad in the 1960 Olympic Games...
took the reins for the start of the Euro 96 qualifiers, which saw Wales slip to embarrassing defeats against Moldova
Moldova national football team
The Moldova national football team represents Moldova in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Moldova, the governing body for football in Moldova. Moldova's home ground is Zimbru Stadium in Chişinău and their head coach is Gavril Balint...
and Georgia
Georgia national football team
The Georgia national football team is the national association football team of Georgia and is controlled by the Georgian Football Federation. The Georgian team's first match took place in 1990, while Georgia was still part of the Soviet Union. The team have attempted to qualify for each major...
before Bobby Gould
Bobby Gould
Robert Anthony "Bobby" Gould is an English former footballer and manager.-Playing career:Born in Coventry, Gould started his career at Coventry City, making his debut for the club whilst still an apprentice at the age of 16. He did not sign professional until June 1964...
was appointed in June 1995.
Nathan Blake
Nathan Alexander Blake is a Welsh former professional footballer, who played in the Premier League for several clubs and also represented his country at international level...
, Robbie Savage
Robbie Savage
Robert William "Robbie" Savage is a football pundit and former Welsh professional footballer who played predominantly as a midfielder. During his career he captained Derby County, and also played for the Welsh national team. He now presents 606 on BBC Radio Five Live on Sunday evenings alongside...
and Mark Hughes, coupled with embarrassing defeats to club side Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
and a 7–1 thrashing by the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
in 1996 did not make him a popular figure within Wales. Gould finally resigned following a 4–0 defeat to Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
in 1999, and the FAW turned to two legends of the national team, Neville Southall
Neville Southall
Neville Southall MBE is a former Wales international footballer, best known for his time with Everton. He has been described as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation and won the FWA Footballer of the Year award in 1985...
and Mark Hughes to take temporary charge of the game against Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
four days later, with Hughes later being appointed on a permanent basis.
2000–2010
Under Mark Hughes, Wales came close to qualifying for for a place at UEFA Euro 2004 in Portugal, being narrowly defeated by RussiaRussia national football team
The Russia national football team represents Russia in association football and is controlled by the Russian Football Union , the governing body for football in Russia. Russia's home grounds are Luzhniki Stadium, Lokomotiv Stadium , and Petrovsky Stadium in St.Petersburg and their head coach is...
in the play-offs
UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying play-offs
The UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying play-offs was the last round of qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2004. It was contested by the ten runners-up from the ten first round groups of the UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying tournament between European national football teams. The winners of each of five home and...
. The defeat, however, was not without its controversy as Russian midfield player, Yegor Titov, tested positive for the use of a banned substance after the first qualifying leg, a scoreless draw in Moscow. However, the sport's governing body decided to take no action against the Football Union of Russia
Football Union of Russia
The Russian Football Union is the governing body of football in Russia. The Union is considered a direct successor of the Football Federation of USSR. It organizes the football league, Premier-Liga, and the Russian national football team...
(Российский Футбольный Союз) other than instructing them not to play Titov again, and the Russian team went on to beat Wales in Cardiff 1–0 to qualify for UEFA Euro 2004.
Following a disappointing start to 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 6, Hughes left his role with the national team to take over as manager of English Premier League outfit Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
. On 12 November 2004, John Toshack
John Toshack
John Benjamin Toshack OBE is a Welsh former footballer and manager. He is currently the manager of Macedonia. He has also managed several others clubs including Swansea City, who he took from the Fourth Division to the First in four seasons.As a player, he is remembered for being part of the...
was appointed manager for the second time.
In UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying, Wales were drawn in Group D alongside Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
, the Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
, Slovakia
Slovakia national football team
The Slovakia national football team represents Slovakia in association football and is controlled by the Slovak Football Association , the governing body for football in Slovakia. Slovakia's home stadium is Štadión Pasienky and their head coach is Vladimír Weiss...
, Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
, Cyprus
Cyprus national football team
The Cyprus national football team represents Cyprus in association football and is controlled by the Cyprus Football Association, the governing body for football in Cyprus. Cyprus' home ground is the GSP Stadium in Nicosia and the current coach is Nikos Nioplias...
and San Marino
San Marino national football team
The San Marino national football team is the national football team of San Marino, controlled by the San Marino Football Federation...
. The team's performance was disappointing, finishing fifth in the group with expected defeat at home to Germany yet an unexpected draw away, a loss away and a goalless draw at home to the Czech Republic, a loss away and 2–2 draw at home to the Republic of Ireland, a 3–0 home win and uninspiring 2–1 away win against minnows San Marino, a 3–1 home win and 3–1 away defeat against Cyprus, and a spectacularly mixed performance against Slovakia, losing 5–1 at home and winning 5–2 away. However, better performances towards the end of the competition by a team containing, of necessity because of injuries and suspensions of senior players, no fewer than five players who were eligible for selection for the Under-21 squad was viewed as a hopeful sign of future progress for the team.
In 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 4, Wales made a promising start, winning 1–0 and 2–0 against Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan national football team
The Azerbaijan national football team is the national football team of Azerbaijan and is controlled by Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan...
and Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein national football team
The Liechtenstein national football team is the national football team of Liechtenstein and is controlled by the Liechtenstein Football Association. The organisation is known as the Liechtensteiner Fussballverband in German. The team's first match was an unofficial match against Malta in Seoul, a...
, respectively. However, they lost their next game against Russia
Russia national football team
The Russia national football team represents Russia in association football and is controlled by the Russian Football Union , the governing body for football in Russia. Russia's home grounds are Luzhniki Stadium, Lokomotiv Stadium , and Petrovsky Stadium in St.Petersburg and their head coach is...
in Moscow, 2–1, after Joe Ledley
Joe Ledley
Joseph Christopher Ledley is a Welsh footballer who plays for Scottish Premier League club Celtic and the Welsh national team as a central or left midfielder....
had briefly drawn them level. The qualifying campaign showed signs of promise when the team managed to prevent Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
from scoring for 74 minutes of their match in Mönchengladbach
Mönchengladbach
Mönchengladbach , formerly known as Münchengladbach, is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located west of the Rhine half way between Düsseldorf and the Dutch border....
, but the match eventually finished 1–0 to Germany. Two 2–0 home defeats by Finland
Finland national football team
The Finland national football team represents Finland in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Association of Finland....
and Germany in Spring 2009 effectively put paid to Wales' hopes of qualification.
Wales were drawn in UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying Group G
UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying Group G
This page shows the standings and results for Group G of the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying tournament.- Standings :- Results and fixtures :A meeting was held in Zürich, Switzerland, on 15 March to determine the Group G fixture schedule...
with Montenegro
Montenegro national football team
The Montenegro national football team represents Montenegro in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Montenegro, the governing body for football in Montenegro...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria national football team
The FIFA Bulgaria national football team is an association football team fielded by the Bulgarian Football Union, a member association of UEFA. The team's home ground is Vasil Levski in Sofia and Luboslav Penev is in charge manager after replacement of Lothar Matthäus...
, Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
and close rivals England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
. Wales lost 1–0 away to Montenegro in their opening game and, on 9 September 2010, John Toshack
John Toshack
John Benjamin Toshack OBE is a Welsh former footballer and manager. He is currently the manager of Macedonia. He has also managed several others clubs including Swansea City, who he took from the Fourth Division to the First in four seasons.As a player, he is remembered for being part of the...
stood down as manager after being disappointed at previous results in 2010 against Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
and the opening UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier.
The Wales Under-21
Wales national under-21 football team
The Wales national under-21 football team, also known as the Wales U21s, is the national under-21 football team of Wales and is controlled by the Football Association of Wales. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
coach Brian Flynn
Brian Flynn
Brian Flynn, is a Welsh football manager and former Welsh international player.On 13 September 2010 Flynn was confirmed caretaker manager of the Wales national football team after John Toshack stepped down...
took over from Toshack as caretaker manager with a view to a possible permanent appointment but a 1–0 home defeat to Bulgaria and 4–1 away loss to Switzerland meant that the FAW passed over Flynn.
Gary Speed tenure
Gary SpeedGary Speed
Gary Andrew Speed, MBE was a Welsh football player and manager. He was captain of the Wales national football team until he retired from international football in 2004 and he remains the most capped outfield player for Wales and the second overall, having appeared 85 times at senior level between...
was appointed as the new permanent manager on 14 December 2010. Speed's first game as Wales manager was 8 February 2011 in the inaugural Nations Cup, which the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
won 3–0. Speed's first competitive match was the Euro 2012 qualifier at home to England 26 March 2011 and Speed appointed twenty year old Aaron Ramsey
Aaron Ramsey
Aaron James Ramsey is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for the premier league club Arsenal and is the captain of the Wales national football team...
captain, making Ramsey the youngest ever Wales captain. Wales lost to England 2–0 and in August 2011 Wales attained their lowest ever FIFA world ranking of 117th. This was followed by a 2–1 home win against Montenegro, a 1–0 away loss to England, a 2–0 home win against Switzerland and a 1–0 away win against Bulgaria. Consequently in October 2011, Wales had rapidly risen to 45th in the FIFA rankings. Speed's last match as Manager of Wales was the 4-1 home win in a friendly match versus Norway on 12 November 2011.
Speed's tenure as manager ended in tragic circumstances two weeks later when he was found dead at his home on 27 November, having apparently committed suicide.
2012 onwards
For 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification2014 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)
The European Zone of qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup will see teams competing for places at the finals in Brazil. As in recent tournaments, UEFA will have 13 direct qualfiers for the finals tournaments, with the 2014 qualifiers chosen as the winners of each of nine qualifying groups as...
, Wales were placed in the sixth pot and drawn in Group A
2014 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group A
The 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group A is a UEFA qualifying group for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The group comprises Croatia, Serbia, Belgium, Scotland, Macedonia and Wales.The group winners will qualify directly for the 2014 FIFA World Cup...
with Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
, Serbia
Serbia national football team
The Serbia national football team represents Serbia in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia, the governing body for football in Serbia. Serbia's home ground is Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and their last head coach was Vladimir Petrović...
, Belgium, Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
and Macedonia.
2012 Summer Olympics
Due to London's successful bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
, a Great Britain team would qualify as of right of being the host nation. However, the FAW stressed it was strongly against the proposal. A compromise was eventually reached between the four UK associations, whereby a squad of only English players could represent Great Britain.
Stadium
Wales play most of their home matches at the Millennium StadiumMillennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. The stadium was built in 1999 on the site of the old National Stadium
National stadium
Many countries have a national football stadium, which typically serves as the primary or exclusive home for one or more of a country's national representative sports teams. The term is most often used in reference to an association football stadium. Usually, a national stadium will be in or very...
, known as Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World...
, as the Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
(WRU) had been chosen to host the 1999 Rugby World Cup
1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
. Prior to 1989, Wales played their home games at the grounds of Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
, Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
and Wrexham F.C., but then came to an agreement with the WRU to use Cardiff Arms Park and, subsequently, the Millennium Stadium.
Wales' first football match at the Millennium Stadium was against Finland
Finland national football team
The Finland national football team represents Finland in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Association of Finland....
on 29 March 2000. The Finns won the match 2–1, with Jari Litmanen
Jari Litmanen
Jari Olavi Litmanen is a Finnish footballer, currently playing for HJK. He is the current vice-captain of Finland national football team, where he served as a first choice captain between 1996–2008...
becoming the first player to score a goal at the stadium. Ryan Giggs
Ryan Giggs
Ryan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Manchester United. Giggs made his first appearance for the club during the 1990–91 season and has been a regular player since the 1991–92 season...
scored Wales' goal in the match, becoming the first Welshman to score at the stadium.
In recent seasons, some friendly home matches have been played at Cardiff City Stadium, the Liberty Stadium, Swansea
Liberty Stadium, Swansea
The Liberty Stadium is a purpose-built sports stadium and conferencing venue in the Landore area of Swansea, Wales. The stadium is all-seated, with a capacity of 20,532 making it the largest purpose-built venue in Swansea and the third largest stadium in Wales after the Millennium Stadium and the...
and the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham
Racecourse Ground
The Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium AKA The Racecourse Ground is a stadium located in Wrexham, North Wales. It is the home of Wrexham F.C. and, since 2010, the Crusaders Rugby League team who play in the engage Super League...
. However, with little recent success on the field, the 74,500 capacity Millennium stadium has only been around 20–40% full, leading to calls for some international matches to be held at these smaller stadiums with capacities of 15,500–27,000.
Latest squad
Gary SpeedGary Speed
Gary Andrew Speed, MBE was a Welsh football player and manager. He was captain of the Wales national football team until he retired from international football in 2004 and he remains the most capped outfield player for Wales and the second overall, having appeared 85 times at senior level between...
named the following Wales squad for the friendly match against Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
on 12 November 2011. Lewis Price
Lewis Price
Lewis Peter Price is a Welsh international goalkeeper who plays for Crystal Palace. He has previously played for Derby County and Ipswich Town-Ipswich Town:...
and Lewin Nyatanga
Lewin Nyatanga
Lewin John Nyatanga is a Welsh footballer who plays for Bristol City and the Wales national team as a defender.-Derby County:...
were subsequently added to the squad.
Caps and goals updated as 13 November 2011.
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- * withdrew from squad
Most-capped players
As of 13 Nov 2011, (players still active in bold):| # | Name | Career | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neville Southall Neville Southall Neville Southall MBE is a former Wales international footballer, best known for his time with Everton. He has been described as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation and won the FWA Footballer of the Year award in 1985... |
1982–1998 | 92 | 0 |
| 2 | Gary Speed Gary Speed Gary Andrew Speed, MBE was a Welsh football player and manager. He was captain of the Wales national football team until he retired from international football in 2004 and he remains the most capped outfield player for Wales and the second overall, having appeared 85 times at senior level between... |
1990–2004 | 85 | 7 |
| 3 | Dean Saunders Dean Saunders Dean Nicholas Saunders is a former Wales international footballer who played as a striker in a professional career which lasted from 1982 until 2001. He is the manager of Doncaster Rovers.... |
1986–2001 | 75 | 22 |
| 4 | Peter Nicholas Peter Nicholas (footballer) Peter Nicholas is a Welsh former professional footballer and Wales international, now football manager.He was capped 73 times at senior level for Wales between 1979 and 1991.-Crystal Palace:... |
1979–1991 | 73 | 2 |
| Ian Rush Ian Rush Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield... |
1980–1996 | 28 | ||
| 6 | Mark Hughes Mark Hughes Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals.... |
1984–1999 | 72 | 16 |
| Joey Jones Joey Jones For other persons named Joey Jones, see Joey Jones.For other similarly named people, see Joseph Jones or Joe Jones.Joseph Patrick "Joey" Jones is a former Wales international football full-back who played for Liverpool for three seasons, including the 1977 season, in which they chased "the... |
1975–1986 | 1 | ||
| 8 | Ivor Allchurch Ivor Allchurch Ivor John Allchurch MBE was a Welsh international footballer. His brother was Len Allchurch.Known as 'The Golden Boy' of Welsh football, Allchurch played for Swansea Town, Newcastle United and Cardiff City, where he amassed 691 games scoring 249 goals. His record of 68 caps for Wales stood until... |
1950–1966 | 68 | 23 |
| 9 | Craig Bellamy Craig Bellamy Craig Douglas Bellamy is a Welsh footballer who plays as a striker for Liverpool and the Welsh national team. Born in Cardiff, Bellamy was the captain of the Welsh national side for four years after taking over from Ryan Giggs in 2007, but stood down in January 2011 due to constant injuries... |
1998–2011 | 67 | 19 |
| 10 | Brian Flynn Brian Flynn Brian Flynn, is a Welsh football manager and former Welsh international player.On 13 September 2010 Flynn was confirmed caretaker manager of the Wales national football team after John Toshack stepped down... |
1974–1984 | 66 | 7 |
Other players with 50 or more caps
Note: players still active at international level in bold:
|
John Hartson John Hartson is a former Welsh international footballer who played as a striker, best known for his spells with West Ham and Celtic. Hartson also featured prominently for Wales, earning 51 caps until his international retirement in 2006... Barry Horne (footballer) Barry Horne is a Welsh former professional footballer and former chairman of the Professional Footballers Association.-Playing career:... |
Paul Jones (footballer) Paul Steven Jones is a retired Welsh international football goalkeeper. During his playing career, he played for several clubs, including Wolverhampton Wanderers, Stockport County and Southampton.-Career history:... John Mahoney (footballer) John Mahoney is a former Welsh international footballer who played as a midfielder between the 1960s and 1980s. He attained 51 caps for Wales.-Career:... Andy Melville Andrew Roger Melville is a former Wales international footballer. In the early years of his career, he played in midfield. He was later converted into a central defender.... Mark Pembridge Mark Anthony Pembridge is a former footballer whose favoured position was the left side of midfield. He won numerous caps for Wales. He is currently a coach at the academy for Fulham.-Club career:... |
David Phillips (Welsh footballer) David Owen Phillips is a former professional and Welsh international footballer who played as a midfielder for Plymouth Argyle, Manchester City, Coventry City, Norwich City, Nottingham Forest, Huddersfield Town, Lincoln City and Stevenage Borough.-Plymouth Argyle & Manchester City:Phillips was... Leighton Phillips Leighton Phillips is a Welsh former professional football player. During his career, he made over 450 appearances in The Football League during spells with Cardiff City, Aston Villa, Swansea City, Charlton Athletic and Exeter City and won 58 caps for Wales.-Club career:A Welsh schoolboy... Kevin Ratcliffe Kevin Ratcliffe is a former Welsh footballer who spent most of his career playing for Everton. He was born in Mancot, near Queensferry in North Wales.-Club career:... Carl Robinson Carl Robinson is a Welsh footballer who currently plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.-Wolverhampton Wanderers:... |
Mickey Thomas (football) Michael Reginald "Mickey" Thomas is a former football player. As a Welsh international, he made 51 appearances and scored four goals.-Biography:... Rod Thomas Rod Thomas is a Welsh former professional footballer who represented Wales at International level.During his career Thomas played for Gloucester City, Swindon Town, Derby County, Cardiff City, Gloucester for a second spell and Newport County.Swindon Town manager Bert Head brought Thomas to the... Terry Yorath Terence Charles Yorath is a former footballer and has been a manager at both club and international level. He is also the father of television presenter Gabby Logan.... |
Top goalscorers
As of 13 Nov 2011 (players still active in bold):| # | Name | Goals | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ian Rush Ian Rush Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield... |
28 | 73 |
| 2 | Trevor Ford Trevor Ford Trevor Ford was a Welsh international centre forward footballer who played for Aston Villa, Cardiff City, Sunderland and Swansea Town. He was born and died in Swansea.-Football career:... |
23 | 38 |
| Ivor Allchurch Ivor Allchurch Ivor John Allchurch MBE was a Welsh international footballer. His brother was Len Allchurch.Known as 'The Golden Boy' of Welsh football, Allchurch played for Swansea Town, Newcastle United and Cardiff City, where he amassed 691 games scoring 249 goals. His record of 68 caps for Wales stood until... |
68 | ||
| 4 | Dean Saunders Dean Saunders Dean Nicholas Saunders is a former Wales international footballer who played as a striker in a professional career which lasted from 1982 until 2001. He is the manager of Doncaster Rovers.... |
22 | 75 |
| 5 | Craig Bellamy Craig Bellamy Craig Douglas Bellamy is a Welsh footballer who plays as a striker for Liverpool and the Welsh national team. Born in Cardiff, Bellamy was the captain of the Welsh national side for four years after taking over from Ryan Giggs in 2007, but stood down in January 2011 due to constant injuries... |
19 | 67 |
| 6 | Robert Earnshaw Robert Earnshaw Robert Earnshaw is a Welsh footballer who plays for Cardiff City and Wales. He is the only player to have scored a hat-trick in the English Premier League, Championship, League One, League Two , the League Cup, the FA Cup and for his country at International level.Earnshaw was born in Mufulira,... |
16 | 57 |
| Cliff Jones | 59 | ||
| Mark Hughes Mark Hughes Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals.... |
72 | ||
| 9 | John Charles John Charles William John Charles, CBE , commonly known as John Charles, was a Welsh international footballer best remembered for spells with Leeds United and Juventus. Rated by many as the greatest all-round footballer ever to come from Wales, he was equally adept at centre-forward or centre-back... |
15 | 38 |
| 10 | John Hartson John Hartson John Hartson is a former Welsh international footballer who played as a striker, best known for his spells with West Ham and Celtic. Hartson also featured prominently for Wales, earning 51 caps until his international retirement in 2006... |
14 | 51 |
Notable former players
- See Wales international footballers for all Welsh internationals with a Wikipedia article and List of Wales international footballers for a list of Welsh internationals in sortable-table format. Also see List of Wales international footballers with 25 or more caps.
Welsh Sports Hall of Fame
Welsh Sports Hall of Fame
The Welsh Sports Hall of Fame is a charitable organization created to commemorate the sporting achievements and preserve the artifacts of Welsh athletes. It was established in 1980 from the memorabilia collection of Welsh radio announcer G. V. Wynne-Jones...
inductees:
|
Trevor Ford Trevor Ford was a Welsh international centre forward footballer who played for Aston Villa, Cardiff City, Sunderland and Swansea Town. He was born and died in Swansea.-Football career:... Mark Hughes Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals.... |
Fred Keenor Frederick Charles 'Fred' Keenor was a Welsh professional footballer and Wales international best known for captaining the Cardiff City team to success in the 1927 FA Cup Final... Jack Kelsey Alfred John "Jack" Kelsey was a Welsh international football goalkeeper, who also played for Arsenal. He is regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers to play for Wales.- Early career :... |
Billy Meredith William Henry "Billy" Meredith was a Welsh footballer. He was considered one of the early superstars of football due to his performances, notably for Manchester City and Manchester United. He won each domestic trophy in the English football league and also gained 48 caps for Wales, for whom he... Ivor Powell Ivor Verdun Powell MBE is a Welsh former footballer who gained eight Welsh caps and later became a manager. He was born in Gilfach, Bargoed.... |
Ian Rush Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield... Alf Sherwood Alfred Thomas "Alf" Sherwood was a Welsh international footballer. Between 1947 and 1957, he gained a total of 41 Caps.... John Toshack John Benjamin Toshack OBE is a Welsh former footballer and manager. He is currently the manager of Macedonia. He has also managed several others clubs including Swansea City, who he took from the Fourth Division to the First in four seasons.As a player, he is remembered for being part of the... |
Welsh inductees to the English Football Hall of Fame
English Football Hall of Fame
The English Football Hall of Fame is housed at the National Football Museum, currently being relocated to Manchester, England. The Hall aims to celebrate and highlight the achievements of the all-time top English footballing talents, as well as non-English players and managers who have become...
:
- 2002 John CharlesJohn CharlesWilliam John Charles, CBE , commonly known as John Charles, was a Welsh international footballer best remembered for spells with Leeds United and Juventus. Rated by many as the greatest all-round footballer ever to come from Wales, he was equally adept at centre-forward or centre-back...
- 2005 Ryan GiggsRyan GiggsRyan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Manchester United. Giggs made his first appearance for the club during the 1990–91 season and has been a regular player since the 1991–92 season...
- 2006 Ian RushIan RushIan James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield...
- 2007 Mark HughesMark HughesLeslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals....
, Billy MeredithBilly MeredithWilliam Henry "Billy" Meredith was a Welsh footballer. He was considered one of the early superstars of football due to his performances, notably for Manchester City and Manchester United. He won each domestic trophy in the English football league and also gained 48 caps for Wales, for whom he...
Welsh inductees to the Football League 100 Legends
Football League 100 Legends
The Football League 100 Legends is a list of 100 great association football players who played part or all of their professional career in English Premier season of League football...
:
|
Trevor Ford Trevor Ford was a Welsh international centre forward footballer who played for Aston Villa, Cardiff City, Sunderland and Swansea Town. He was born and died in Swansea.-Football career:... Ryan Giggs Ryan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Manchester United. Giggs made his first appearance for the club during the 1990–91 season and has been a regular player since the 1991–92 season... |
Billy Meredith William Henry "Billy" Meredith was a Welsh footballer. He was considered one of the early superstars of football due to his performances, notably for Manchester City and Manchester United. He won each domestic trophy in the English football league and also gained 48 caps for Wales, for whom he... |
Ian Rush Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield... Neville Southall Neville Southall MBE is a former Wales international footballer, best known for his time with Everton. He has been described as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation and won the FWA Footballer of the Year award in 1985... |
Welsh Inductee to the PFA Team of the Year (Top Division)
PFA Team of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
:
- Leighton James (1975)
- John ToshackJohn ToshackJohn Benjamin Toshack OBE is a Welsh former footballer and manager. He is currently the manager of Macedonia. He has also managed several others clubs including Swansea City, who he took from the Fourth Division to the First in four seasons.As a player, he is remembered for being part of the...
(1976) - Ian RushIan RushIan James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield...
(1983, 1984, 1991) - Kevin RatcliffeKevin RatcliffeKevin Ratcliffe is a former Welsh footballer who spent most of his career playing for Everton. He was born in Mancot, near Queensferry in North Wales.-Club career:...
(1985) - Mark HughesMark HughesLeslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals....
(1986, 1989, 1991, 1992) - Neville SouthallNeville SouthallNeville Southall MBE is a former Wales international footballer, best known for his time with Everton. He has been described as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation and won the FWA Footballer of the Year award in 1985...
(1987, 1988, 1989, 1990) - Gary SpeedGary SpeedGary Andrew Speed, MBE was a Welsh football player and manager. He was captain of the Wales national football team until he retired from international football in 2004 and he remains the most capped outfield player for Wales and the second overall, having appeared 85 times at senior level between...
(1993) - Ryan GiggsRyan GiggsRyan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Manchester United. Giggs made his first appearance for the club during the 1990–91 season and has been a regular player since the 1991–92 season...
(1996, 1998, 2001, 2007 and 2009) - Gareth BaleGareth BaleGareth Frank Bale is a Welsh footballer who plays for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Wales national team. Bale began his professional career with Southampton in 2005 and was transferred to Tottenham two years later...
(2011)
Managers
- See also Wales national football team managers
Prior to 1954 the Welsh team was chosen by a panel of selectors with the team captain fulfilling the role of coach.
| Name | Career |
|---|---|
 Walley BarnesWalley Barnes Walley Barnes was a Welsh footballer and broadcaster. He played for Arsenal, being part of their championship-winning side in 1947-48, and he captained the Welsh national side.-Early career:... |
1954–1955 |
| Jimmy Murphy James Murphy (footballer) James Patrick "Jimmy" Murphy was a football player and later a manager.-Playing career:Born in Ton Pentre, Rhondda, Murphy attended Ton Pentre Village School and as a boy played the church organ... |
1956–1964 |
| Dave Bowen Dave Bowen David Lloyd "Dave" Bowen was a Welsh football player and manager, who captained his country to their only ever World Cup finals, in 1958.-Playing career:... |
1964–1974 |
| Ronnie Burgess Ron Burgess (footballer) William Arthur Ronald Burgess Burgess was a Wales international footballer, who played at wing-half. Burgess worked as a miner before joining Tottenham Hotspur from his local team Cwm Villa... |
1965 (caretaker manager for one match due to unavailability of Dave Bowen) |
 Mike SmithMike Smith (football manager) Mike Smith is an English former football manager. Before becoming a manager, he had a playing career as an amateur, playing for the Corinthian Casuals and was a part of the Great Britain squad in the 1960 Olympic Games... |
1974–1979 |
| Mike England Mike England Harold Michael "Mike" England, MBE was a popular Welsh footballer and manager.-Playing career:Born Holywell, Wales, Mike England was a tall commanding centre-half, who could also play effectively as a centre-forward. He played for Blackburn Rovers, Tottenham Hotspur, Cardiff, and for the Wales... |
1979–1987 |
| David Williams David Williams (Welsh footballer) David Michael Williams is a former professional footballer and football coach. He was a full Welsh international.Williams was a midfield player who began his career with Bristol Rovers, for whom he played between 1975 and 1985... |
1988 (caretaker manager for one match) |
| Terry Yorath Terry Yorath Terence Charles Yorath is a former footballer and has been a manager at both club and international level. He is also the father of television presenter Gabby Logan.... |
1988–1993 |
| John Toshack John Toshack John Benjamin Toshack OBE is a Welsh former footballer and manager. He is currently the manager of Macedonia. He has also managed several others clubs including Swansea City, who he took from the Fourth Division to the First in four seasons.As a player, he is remembered for being part of the... |
1994 |
| Mike Smith Mike Smith (football manager) Mike Smith is an English former football manager. Before becoming a manager, he had a playing career as an amateur, playing for the Corinthian Casuals and was a part of the Great Britain squad in the 1960 Olympic Games... |
1994–1995 |
| Bobby Gould Bobby Gould Robert Anthony "Bobby" Gould is an English former footballer and manager.-Playing career:Born in Coventry, Gould started his career at Coventry City, making his debut for the club whilst still an apprentice at the age of 16. He did not sign professional until June 1964... |
1995–1999 |
| Mark Hughes Mark Hughes Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals.... |
1999–2004 |
| John Toshack John Toshack John Benjamin Toshack OBE is a Welsh former footballer and manager. He is currently the manager of Macedonia. He has also managed several others clubs including Swansea City, who he took from the Fourth Division to the First in four seasons.As a player, he is remembered for being part of the... |
2004–2010 |
| Brian Flynn Brian Flynn Brian Flynn, is a Welsh football manager and former Welsh international player.On 13 September 2010 Flynn was confirmed caretaker manager of the Wales national football team after John Toshack stepped down... |
2010 (caretaker manager for 2 matches) |
| Gary Speed Gary Speed Gary Andrew Speed, MBE was a Welsh football player and manager. He was captain of the Wales national football team until he retired from international football in 2004 and he remains the most capped outfield player for Wales and the second overall, having appeared 85 times at senior level between... |
2010–2011 |
Other staff
- Assistant Manager: Raymond VerheijenRaymond VerheijenRaymond Verheijen is a Dutch professional football coach who is currently the assistant manager to the Welsh national side. Verheijen's current contract expires at the end of 2011.-Career:...
- Goalkeeping Coach: Martyn MargetsonMartyn MargetsonMartyn Walter Margetson is a Welsh former professional footballer and Wales international, currently working for Football League Championship side West Ham United as a goalkeeping coach....
- Team Doctors: Dr. Mark Ridgewell and Dr. Mark Davies
- Physiotherapists: Mel PejicMel PejicMel Pejic is a former footballer and current physiotherapist of Bolton Wanderers and the Wales national football team...
and Dyfri Owen - Masseur: David Rowe
FIFA World Cup record
- 19301930 FIFA World CupThe 1930 FIFA World Cup was the inaugural FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Uruguay from 13 July to 30 July 1930...
–19381938 FIFA World CupThe 1938 FIFA World Cup was the third staging of the World Cup, and was held in France from 4 June to 19 June. Italy retained the championship, beating Hungary 4–2 in the final.-Host selection:...
– Did not enter - 19501950 FIFA World CupThe 1950 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July, was the fourth FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup since 1938, the planned 1942 and 1946 competitions having been canceled owing to World War II...
–19541954 FIFA World CupThe 1954 FIFA World Cup, the fifth staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Switzerland from 16 June to 4 July. Switzerland was chosen as hosts in July 1946. The tournament set a number of all-time records for goal-scoring, including the highest average goals scored per game...
– Did not qualify - 19581958 FIFA World CupThe 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European...
– Quarter-finals - 19621962 FIFA World CupThe 1962 FIFA World Cup, the seventh staging of the World Cup, was held in Chile from 30 May to 17 June. It was won by Brazil, who retained the championship by beating Czechoslovakia 3–1 in the final...
–20102010 FIFA World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
– Did not qualify
UEFA European Football Championship record
- 1960 – Did not enter
- 1964–1970 – Did not qualify
- 1976 – Quarter-Final (played on home and away leg basis)
- 1980–2012 – Did not qualify