Wales national football team

Wales

Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)	-The Dragons
Association	Football Association of Wales
Head coach	John Toshack, 2004-
Most caps	Neville Southall (86)
Top scorer	Ian Rush (28)
First colours Second colours
First international
Scotland 4 - 0 Wales (Glasgow, Scotland; 26 March, 1876)
Biggest win
Wales 11 - 0 Ireland (Wrexham, Wales; 3 March, 1888)
Biggest defeat
Scotland 9 - 0 Wales (Glasgow, Scotland; 23 March, 1878)
World Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 1958)
Best result	Quarter-finals, 1958
European Championship
Appearances	none (first in -)
Best result	-

The Wales national football team's only World Cup appearance was in 1958, when they drew all the matches in their group and reached the quarter-finals, losing 1–0 to Brazil.

They have never qualified for the European Championship, last losing in the playoffs for place in Euro 2004 against Russia, who had a player (Egor Titov) test positive for banned drug use after the first qualifying leg. The sport's governing body, however, decided to take no action against the team besides from asking them not to play Titov again. Many in Wales still feel aggrieved at the situation.

Former player Mark Hughes served as manager through the 2004 season, but he left to concentrate on his new job as manager of Blackburn Rovers of the English Premiership. John Toshack was appointed manager for the second time on 12 November 2004, ten years after he had resigned from the position after one game in charge.

During the Euro 2004 qualifying tournament Wales became the best supported national team in Europe, with an average attendance in excess of 70,000. The FAW's policy of cheaper tickets helped to contribute, but nonetheless it was a remarkable honour for a small nation, with little international success, and where football is arguably not even the national sport.

Stadium

Wales play their home matches at the Millennium Stadium.

World Cup record

• 1930 to 1938 - Did not enter
• 1950 - Did not qualify
• 1954 - Did not qualify
• 1958 - Quarter-finals
• 1962 to 2006 - Did not qualify

European Championship record

• 1960 - Did not enter
• 1964 to 2004 - Did not qualify

Famous players

• Craig Bellamy
• John Charles (1931-2004)
• Mel Charles
• Chris Coleman
• Dai Davies
• Simon Davies
• Robert Earnshaw
• Ian Evans
• Brian Flynn
• Ryan Giggs
• John Hartson
• Mark Hughes
• Vinnie Jones
• Billy Meredith
• Peter Nicholas
• Roy Paul
• John Robinson
• Leigh Richmond Roose
• Vic Rouse
• Ian Rush
• Robbie Savage - Troublemaker
• Neville Southall
• Gary Speed
• John Toshack
• Danny Gabbidon
• Terry Yorath

Current Squad

Goalkeepers

• Paul Jones
• Martyn Margetson
• Lewis Price
• Darren Ward

Defenders

• Daniel Collins
• James Collins
• Mark Delaney
• Richard Duffy
• Danny Gabbidon
• Lewin Nyatanga
• Sam Ricketts
• Ben Thatcher

Midfielders

• David Cotterill
• Andrew Crofts
• Simon Davies
• Carl Fletcher
• Ryan Giggs
• Jason Koumas
• John Oster
• Paul Parry
• Carl Robinson

Forwards

• Craig Bellamy
• Rob Earnshaw
• Gareth Taylor

Managers

• Jimmy Murphy (1958)
• Dave Bowen (1964-1974)
• Mike Smith (1974-1979)
• Mike England (1979-1987)
• Mike Smith (1987)
• Terry Yorath
• John Toshack(1994)
• Bobby Gould (1995-1999)
• Mark Hughes (1999-2004)
• John Toshack (2004-)

See also

International results of Wales