Wales national football team results (1946–1959)

The Wales national football team represents Wales in international association football and is governed by the Football Association of Wales (FAW). Between 1946 and 1959 the side played 64 matches. Although the majority of these came against the other national teams of the Home Nations in the British Home Championship, Wales also began playing teams from further afield on a regular basis for the first time. Their first competitive fixture following the end of the conflict was a 3–1 victory over Scotland in October 1946.[1]

Wales national football team results

In 1949, Wales undertook their first European tour in which they played matches against Portugal, Belgium and Switzerland.[2] Although Wales lost all three games, they won the reverse fixtures when all three nations travelled to Wales within the next two years.[1] During the 1951–52 British Home Championship, Wales recorded their highest finish in the British Home Championship during the period by sharing the title with England.[3]

The side also entered the FIFA World Cup for the first time in the 1950 tournament,[4] but failed to qualify for either this or the following competition in which the Home Championship was used to determine the Home Nations qualifiers.[1] The 1958 FIFA World Cup used a randomly drawn qualifying group and, although Wales finished second behind Czechoslovakia, they qualified winning a play-off match against Israel.[5] In the tournament itself, Wales drew all three of their group matches and finished tied on points with Hungary. The two sides took part in a play-off match to determine who would advance to the quarter-final,[6] which Wales won 2–1.[7] Wales were defeated 1–0 by Brazil in the quarter-final. The 1958 tournament remains the only time Wales have qualified for a World Cup as of 2020.[1]

Of the 64 matches Wales played during this period, they won 18. They recorded the most wins over Northern Ireland and their precursors Ireland,[lower-alpha 1] winning 5 of the 13 fixtures between the two.[9] They also defeated Scotland three times, Israel and Portugal twice and had single victories over six other teams. They drew 14 ties and lost the remaining 32.[1] Wales suffered the most defeats against England, losing 10 of the 14 fixtures between the two sides.[10]

Results

Wales' score is shown first in each case. The colours listed below are also used to signify results combined with the scoreline.

Key
Colour (with score) Meaning
Defeat
Draw
Win
A footballer wearing full kit.
John Charles in 1954 prior to a Wales vs Scotland game at Ninian Park
Wales national football team results 1946–1959[lower-alpha 2]
Match no. Date Venue H/A/N Opponents Score Competition Wales scorers Att.[lower-alpha 3]
171 19 October 1946 Racecourse Ground, WrexhamH  Scotland 3–1 1946–47 British Home ChampionshipBryn Jones, Trevor Ford, Jimmy Stephen (og)29,568
172 13 November 1946 Maine Road, ManchesterA  England 0–3 1946–47 British Home Championship59,250
173 9 March 1947 Windsor Park, BelfastA  Ireland 1–2 1946–47 British Home ChampionshipTrevor Ford43,000
174 18 October 1947 Ninian Park, CardiffH  England 0–3 1947–48 British Home Championship55,000
175 12 November 1947 Hampden Park, GlasgowA  Scotland 2–1 1947–48 British Home ChampionshipTrevor Ford, George Lowrie88,000
176 10 March 1948 Racecourse Ground, WrexhamH  Ireland 2–0 1947–48 British Home ChampionshipGeorge Lowrie, George Edwards32,310
177 23 October 1948 Ninian Park, CardiffH  Scotland 1–3 1948–49 British Home ChampionshipBryn Jones59,911
178 10 November 1948 Villa Park, BirminghamA  England 0–1 1948–49 British Home Championship68,750
179 10 March 1949 Windsor Park, BelfastA  Ireland 2–0 1948–49 British Home ChampionshipGeorge Edwards, Trevor Ford22,800
180 15 May 1949 Estádio Nacional, LisbonA  Portugal 2–3 FriendlyTrevor Ford (2)51,000
181 23 May 1949 Stade Maurice Dufrasne, LiègeA  Belgium 1–3 FriendlyTrevor Ford19,079
182 26 May 1949 Wankdorf Stadium, BernA   Switzerland 0–4 Friendly18,000
183 15 October 1949 Ninian Park, CardiffH  England 1–4 1949–50 British Home Championship[lower-alpha 4]Mal Griffiths61,000
184 9 November 1949 Hampden Park, GlasgowA  Scotland 0–2 1949–50 British Home Championship73,782
185 23 November 1949 Ninian Park, CardiffH  Belgium 5–1 FriendlyTrevor Ford (3), Roy Paul, Roy Clarke27,988
186 8 March 1950 Racecourse Ground, WrexhamH  Ireland 0–0 1949–50 British Home Championship30,000
187 21 October 1950 Ninian Park, CardiffH  Scotland 1–3 1950–51 British Home ChampionshipAubrey Powell60,000
188 15 November 1950 Roker Park, SunderlandA  England 2–4 1950–51 British Home ChampionshipTrevor Ford (2)50,250
189 7 March 1951 Windsor Park, BelfastA  Ireland 2–1 1950–51 British Home ChampionshipRoy Clarke (2)12,000
190 12 May 1951 Ninian Park, CardiffH  Portugal 2–1 FriendlyTrevor Ford, Mal Griffiths51,000
191 16 May 1951 Racecourse Ground, WrexhamH   Switzerland 3–2 FriendlyTrevor Ford (2), Ron Burgess18,500
192 20 October 1951 Ninian Park, CardiffH  England 1–1 1951–52 British Home ChampionshipBilly Foulkes51,500
193 14 November 1951 Hampden Park, GlasgowA  Scotland 1–0 1951–52 British Home ChampionshipIvor Allchurch50,250
194 19 March 1952 Vetch Field, SwanseaH  Ireland 3–0 1951–52 British Home ChampionshipWalley Barnes, Ivor Allchurch, Roy Clarke30,000
195 18 October 1952 Ninian Park, CardiffH  Scotland 1–2 1952–53 British Home ChampionshipTrevor Ford60,261
196 12 November 1952 Wembley Stadium, LondonA  England 2–5 1952–53 British Home ChampionshipTrevor Ford (2)93,500
197 15 April 1953 Windsor Park, BelfastA  Ireland 3–2 1952–53 British Home ChampionshipJohn Charles (2), Trevor Ford33,000
198 14 May 1953 Parc des Princes, ParisA  France 1–6 FriendlyIvor Allchurch33,020
199 21 May 1953 JNA Stadium, BelgradeA  Yugoslavia 2–5 FriendlyTrevor Ford (2)50,000
200 10 October 1953 Ninian Park, CardiffH  England 1–4 1953–54 British Home Championship[lower-alpha 5]Ivor Allchurch61,000
201 4 November 1953 Hampden Park, GlasgowA  Scotland 3–3 1953–54 British Home ChampionshipJohn Charles (2), Ivor Allchurch71,378
202 31 March 1954 Racecourse Ground, WrexhamH  Northern Ireland 1–2 1953–54 British Home ChampionshipJohn Charles32,817
203 9 May 1954 Praterstadion, ViennaA  Austria 0–2 Friendly58,000
204 22 September 1954 Ninian Park, CardiffH  Yugoslavia 1–3 FriendlyIvor Allchurch20,000
205 16 October 1954 Ninian Park, CardiffH  Scotland 0–1 1954–55 British Home ChampionshipIvor Allchurch53,000
206 10 November 1954 Wembley Stadium, LondonA  England 2–3 1954–55 British Home ChampionshipJohn Charles (2)89,789
207 20 April 1955 Windsor Park, BelfastA  Northern Ireland 3–2 1954–55 British Home ChampionshipJohn Charles (3)28,000
208 22 October 1955 Ninian Park, CardiffH  England 2–1 1955–56 British Home ChampionshipDerek Tapscott, Cliff Jones60,000
209 9 November 1955 Hampden Park, GlasgowA  Scotland 0–2 1955–56 British Home Championship53,887
210 23 November 1955 Racecourse Ground, WrexhamH  Austria 1–2 FriendlyDerek Tapscott39,000
211 11 April 1956 Ninian Park, CardiffH  Northern Ireland 1–1 1955–56 British Home ChampionshipRoy Clarke37,510
212 20 October 1956 Ninian Park, CardiffH  Scotland 2–2 1956–57 British Home ChampionshipTrevor Ford, Terry Medwin60,000
213 14 November 1956 Wembley Stadium, LondonA  England 1–3 1956–57 British Home ChampionshipJohn Charles93,796
214 10 April 1957 Windsor Park, BelfastA  Northern Ireland 0–0 1956–57 British Home Championship30,000
215 1 May 1957 Ninian Park, CardiffH  Czechoslovakia 1–0 1958 FIFA World Cup QualificationRoy Vernon33,320
216 19 May 1957 Zentralstadion, LeipzigA  East Germany 1–2 1958 FIFA World Cup QualificationMel Charles100,000
217 26 May 1957 Stadion Letná, PragueA  Czechoslovakia 0–2 1958 FIFA World Cup Qualification45,000
218 25 September 1957 Ninian Park, CardiffH  East Germany 4–1 1958 FIFA World Cup QualificationDes Palmer (3), Cliff Jones16,098
219 19 October 1957 Ninian Park, CardiffH  England 0–4 1957–58 British Home Championship58,000
220 13 November 1957 Hampden Park, GlasgowA  Scotland 1–1 1957–58 British Home ChampionshipTerry Medwin42,918
221 15 January 1958 Ramat Gan Stadium, Ramat GanA  Israel 2–0 1958 FIFA World Cup Play-OffLen Allchurch, Dave Bowen55,000
222 5 February 1958 Ninian Park, CardiffH  Israel 2–0 1958 FIFA World Cup Play-OffIvor Allchurch, Cliff Jones38,000
223 16 April 1958 Ninian Park, CardiffH  Northern Ireland 1–1 1957–58 British Home ChampionshipRon Hewitt25,667
224 8 June 1958 Jernvallen, SandvikenN  Hungary 1–1 1958 FIFA World CupJohn Charles20,000
225 11 June 1958 Råsunda Stadium, SolnaN  Mexico 1–1 1958 FIFA World CupIvor Allchurch25,000
226 15 June 1958 Råsunda Stadium, SolnaA  Sweden 0–0 1958 FIFA World Cup35,000
227 17 June 1958 Råsunda Stadium, SolnaN  Hungary 2–1 1958 FIFA World CupIvor Allchurch, Terry Medwin20,000
228 19 June 1958 Råsunda Stadium, SolnaN  Brazil 0–1 1958 FIFA World Cup25,000
229 18 October 1958 Ninian Park, CardiffH  Scotland 0–3 1958–59 British Home Championship59,162
230 26 November 1958 Villa Park, BirminghamA  England 2–2 1958–59 British Home ChampionshipDerek Tapscott, Ivor Allchurch40,500
231 22 April 1959 Windsor Park, BelfastA  Northern Ireland 1–4 1958–59 British Home ChampionshipDerek Tapscott45,000
232 17 October 1959 Ninian Park, CardiffH  England 1–1 1959–60 British Home ChampionshipGraham Moore60,000
233 4 November 1959 Hampden Park, GlasgowA  Scotland 1–1 1959–60 British Home ChampionshipJohn Charles55,813

Head to head records
Head to head records
Opponent P W D L GF GA W% D% L%
 Austria 2 0 0 2 1 4 0 0 100
 Belgium 2 1 0 1 6 4 50 0 50
 Brazil 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 100
 Czechoslovakia 2 1 0 1 1 2 50 0 50
 England 14 1 3 10 13 39 7 21 71
 France 1 0 0 1 1 6 0 0 100
 East Germany 2 1 0 1 5 3 50 0 50
 Hungary 2 1 1 0 3 1 50 50 0
 Ireland 4 1 1 2 3 4 25 25 50
 Northern Ireland 9 4 3 2 15 13 44 33 22
 Israel 2 2 0 0 4 0 100 0 0
 Mexico 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 100 0
 Scotland 14 3 4 7 16 25 21 29 50
  Switzerland 2 1 0 1 3 6 100 0 100
 Sweden 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 100 0
 Portugal 2 2 0 1 4 4 100 0 100
 Yugoslavia 2 0 0 2 2 8 0 0 100
Totals641814327812128.1321.8850

Notes
  1. The team referred to as Ireland which competed in the Home Championship represented the Belfast-based Irish Football Association (IFA). Following the partition of Ireland, both that body and the Dublin-based Football Association of Ireland (FAI) contended that their respective national teams represented the entirety of Ireland. FIFA ruled in 1953 that neither team could be referred to simply as "Ireland".[8]
  2. Table information sourced from the references listed in the statistics section below.
  3. Due to the unavailability of exact figures, some attendance numbers are given as recorded estimates.
  4. The 1949–50 British Home Championship was also used to determine which of the Home Nations would qualify for the 1950 FIFA World Cup.[4]
  5. The 1953–54 British Home Championship was also used to determine which of the Home Nations would qualify for the 1954 FIFA World Cup.[11]

References
Statistics
  • Nygård, Jostein. "Wales – International Results". RSSSF. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  • "Welsh International Matches". Welsh Football Data Archive. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  • Tossani, Gabriele. "Scotland – International Results". RSSSF. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  • Oliver, Guy (1992). The Guinness Record of World Soccer. London: Guinness World Records Ltd. pp. 561–562. ISBN 978-0-85112-954-9.
Bibliography
  • Stead, Phil (2013). Red Dragons – The Story of Welsh Football. Ceredigion: Y Lolfa. ISBN 978-1-84771-468-8.
Footnotes
  1. Nygård, Jostein. "International matches of Wales". The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  2. Stead 2013, pp. 143–144
  3. Reyes, Macario; Morrison, Neil. "British Home Championship 1947–1966". The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 28 December 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  4. Stead 2013, p. 146
  5. Stead 2013, pp. 165–166
  6. "Three U.K. Teams in World Cup Play-offs". The Times. 16 June 1958. p. 3. Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2020 – via The Times Digital Archive.
  7. Stead 2013, pp. 169–171
  8. "FAI History chapter 6 – FIFA rules on Irish issue". Football Association of Ireland. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  9. "Wales national football team: record v Ireland". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 10 October 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  10. "Wales national football team: record v England". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 13 July 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  11. Reyes, Macario; Morrison, Neil. "British Home Championship 1947–1966". The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 5 December 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2020.

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