Wales and the European Championships
The UEFA European Football Championship is the primary association football competition contested to determine the continental champion of Europe. Held every four years since 1960 it was originally called the European Nations' Cup, changing to the current name in 1968.
The idea for a pan-European football tournament was first proposed by the French Football Federation's secretary-general Henri Delaunay in 1927, but it was not until 1958 that the tournament was started, three years after Delaunay's death. In honour of Delaunay, the trophy awarded to the champions is named after him.
Only 17 of UEFA's then 29 members entered the first tournament in 1960 with Wales among the countries not to have entered. The first European Nations' Cup qualifying match was played on 28 September 1958 as the Soviet Union beat Hungary 3-1 in the first leg of their qualifier.
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