Wales v Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia enjoyed success in international competition, reaching the semi-finals at the 1930 and 1962 FIFA World Cups as well as finishing as runners-up at the 1960 and 1968 UEFA European Championships.
In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international competition as part of the United Nations sanctions on 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.
Head to Head v Yugoslavia
| P | W | D | L | F | A | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 7 |
| Away | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 11 |
| ALL | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 18 |
Match details
| no. | date | score | scorers (wales) | venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200 | 21/05/1953 | Yugoslavia 5-2 Wales | Ford (2) | Belgrade | Fr |
| 205 | 22/09/1954 | Wales 1-3 Yugoslavia | I Allchurch | Ninian Park, Cardiff | Fr |
| 324 | 24/04/1976 | Yugoslavia 2-0 Wales | Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb | ECQF | |
| 328 | 22/05/1976 | Wales 1-1 Yugoslavia | Evans | Ninian Park, Cardiff | ECQF |
| 374 | 15/12/1982 | Yugoslavia 4-4 Wales | Flynn, Rush, Jones, R James | Stadion Pod Goricom, Titograd | ECQ |
| 383 | 14/12/1983 | Wales 1-1 Yugoslavia | R James | Ninian Park, Cardiff | ECQ |
| 410 | 23/03/1988 | Wales 1-2 Yugoslavia | Saunders | Vetch Field, Swansea | Fr |
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
