Wales v Yugoslavia

yugoslavia

Formed in Zagreb in 1919, the Fudbalski Savez Jugoslavije representing the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes became members of FIFA in 1923.

Their first match was at the 1920 Summer Olympic Games tournament in Antwerp; a 7-0 defeat to Czechoslovakia who were also playing their first ever international match.

In 1929, the country was renamed Yugoslavia and the football association became Fudbalski savez Jugoslavije and ordered to move its headquarters from Zagreb to Belgrade.

Wales faced Yugoslavia for the first time in a friendly match in Belgrade in 1953.

Joey Jones scored his only international goal in a 4-4 draw against Yugoslavia in Titograd in 1982 with Dai Davies also winning the last of his 52 caps during the same match.

Following the collapse of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1991, the republics of Serbia and Montenegro remained as part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia but due to United Nations sanctions, the team were banned from competing at Euro 92 despite finishing top of their qualifying group.

Consequently, the national team did not play its first match as a new country until 23 December 1994, a 2–0 friendly defeat to Brazil in Porto Alegre.

The state of Serbia & Montenegro was created in 2003 and the newly named Fudbalski savez Srbije i Crna Gora appeared for the first time during the Euro 2004 qualifying campaign in which they were placed in the same group as Wales.

In June 2006, the Fudbalski Savez Srbije (FSS) was formed after Montenegro became an independent country. Serbia played their first matches as a seperate state during the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign. Wales' first meeting with Serbia was a 6-1 defeat in Novi Sad in 2012.

Serbia are considered by FIFA and UEFA to be the successor to the Yugoslav and Serbia & Montenegro national football teams.

Wales record v Yugoslavia

Head to Head v Yugoslavia

 PWDLFA
Home402247
Away3021611
ALL70341018

Match details

no.datescorescorers (wales)venue 
20021/05/1953Yugoslavia 5-2 WalesFord (2)BelgradeFr
20522/09/1954Wales 1-3 YugoslaviaI AllchurchNinian Park, CardiffFr
32424/04/1976Yugoslavia 2-0 Wales Stadion Maksimir, ZagrebECQF
32822/05/1976Wales 1-1 YugoslaviaEvansNinian Park, CardiffECQF
37415/12/1982Yugoslavia 4-4 WalesFlynn, Rush, Jones, R JamesStadion Pod Goricom, TitogradECQ
38314/12/1983Wales 1-1 YugoslaviaR JamesNinian Park, CardiffECQ
41023/03/1988Wales 1-2 YugoslaviaSaundersVetch Field, SwanseaFr


Yugoslavia Honours

UEFA European Championship runners-up (2): 1960, 1968


Welsh players to have made their debut against Yugoslavia

Four Welsh players made their international debut against Yugoslavia.

  • Dave Bowen - 22 May 1954
  • Billy Reid - 22 May 1954
  • Nigel Vaughan - 15 December 1982
  • Gareth Hall - 23 March 1988

See also