Wales national football team records and statistics
Appearance
This page details Wales national football team records; the most capped players, the players with the most goals, Wales's match record by opponent and decade.
Player records
Most capped players
- As of 15 October 2023
Top goalscorers
- As of 15 October 2023
Rank | Player | Wales career | Caps | Goals | Average |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Gareth Bale (list) | 2006–2022 | 111 | 41 | 0.37 |
2 | Ian Rush (list) | 1980–1996 | 73 | 28 | 0.38 |
3 | Trevor Ford | 1947–1957 | 38 | 23 | 0.61 |
= | Ivor Allchurch | 1951–1966 | 68 | 23 | 0.34 |
5 | Dean Saunders | 1986–2001 | 75 | 22 | 0.29 |
6 | Aaron Ramsey | 2008– | 84 | 21 | 0.25 |
7 | Craig Bellamy | 1998–2013 | 78 | 19 | 0.24 |
8 | Robert Earnshaw | 2002–2012 | 58 | 16 | 0.28 |
= | Cliff Jones | 1954–1969 | 59 | 16 | 0.27 |
= | Mark Hughes | 1984–1999 | 72 | 16 | 0.22 |
11 | John Charles | 1950–1965 | 38 | 15 | 0.39 |
Age records
- Youngest player to make debut: Harry Wilson – 16 years and 207 days
- Oldest player to play a game: Billy Meredith – 45 years and 229 days
- Youngest player to play at World Cup finals: Roy Vernon – 21 years and 42 days
- Oldest player to play at World Cup finals: Dave Bowen – 30 years and 1 day
- Youngest player to score a goal: Gareth Bale – 17 years and 83 days
Other
- Longest serving player: Billy Meredith – 25 years (1895–1920)
Games and results
- Firsts
- First International: 26 March 1876 vs Scotland
- First home international: 5 March 1877 vs Scotland
- First win: 26 February 1881 vs England
- First overseas opponent: France, 25 May 1933
- First win over an overseas opponent: 23 November 1949 vs Belgium
- Biggest
- Longest
- Longest winning streak: 6, 2 June 1980 – 16 May 1981
- Longest losing streak: 5, 25 March 1876 – 27 March 1880
Goals
- First Welsh goal: William Davies, 18 January 1879 vs England
- Youngest player to score: Gareth Bale – 17 years and 83 days, 7 October 2006 v Slovakia
- Most goals scored in one game by a player: 4
- John Price, 12 Feb 1882 vs Ireland
- Jack Doughty, 3 Mar 1888 vs Ireland
- Mel Charles, 11 Apr 1962 vs Northern Ireland
- Ian Edwards, 25 October 1978 vs Malta
Hat-tricks
- First hat-trick: John Price, 12 February 1882 vs Ireland
International tournaments
FIFA World Cup
- Qualification
- First match: 15 October 1949 vs England
- First goal: Mal Griffiths vs England, 15 October 1949
- Finals
- First finals: Sweden 1958
- Total number of times qualified for the finals: 2 (1958, 2022)
- First game: 8 June 1958 vs Hungary
- First goal: John Charles vs Hungary, 8 June 1958
- Most successful finals: 1958 – Quarter-finals
- World Cup top goalscorer: 2
UEFA European Championship
- Finals
- First finals: France 2016
- Total number of times qualified for the finals: 2 (2016, 2020)
- First game: 11 June 2016 vs Slovakia
- First goal: Gareth Bale vs Slovakia, 11 June 2016
- Most successful finals: 2016 – Semi-finals
- European Championship top goalscorer: 3
Rankings
- Highest FIFA Rank: 8 (October 2015)
- Lowest FIFA Rank: 117 (August 2011)
- Highest Elo Rank: 3 (1876–1885)
- Lowest Elo Rank: 75 (September 2000)
Team records
Head to head
Opponent | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | W% | D% | L% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Albania | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 25 | 50 | 25 |
Andorra | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Argentina | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 50 | 50 |
Armenia | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 66.67 | 33.33 |
Australia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
Austria | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 13 | 36.36 | 18.18 | 45.45 |
Azerbaijan | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 87.5 | 12.5 | 0 |
Belarus | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 8 | 85.71 | 14.29 | 0 |
Belgium | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 24 | 24 | 29.41 | 29.41 | 41.18 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 50 | 50 |
Brazil | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 80 |
Bulgaria | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 50 | 10 | 40 |
Canada | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 66.67 | 0 | 33.33 |
Chile | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
China | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Costa Rica | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 50 | 0 | 50 |
Croatia | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 12.5 | 37.5 | 50 |
Cyprus | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 71.43 | 0 | 28.57 |
Czech Republic | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 16.67 | 66.67 | 16.67 |
Czechoslovakia | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 15 | 25 | 25 | 50 |
Denmark | 11 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 36.36 | 0 | 63.64 |
East Germany | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 25 | 0 | 75 |
England | 104 | 14 | 21 | 69 | 91 | 253 | 13.46 | 20.19 | 66.35 |
Estonia | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 75 | 25 | 0 |
Faroe Islands | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Finland | 16 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 21 | 13 | 37.5 | 31.25 | 31.25 |
France | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 20 | 20 | 60 |
Georgia | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 20 | 20 | 60 |
Germany | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 20 | 30 | 50 |
Gibraltar | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Greece | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 50 | 0 | 50 |
Hungary | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 15 | 50 | 16.67 | 33.33 |
Iceland | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 5 | 71.43 | 14.29 | 14.29 |
Iran | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 50 | 0 | 50 |
Ireland | 62 | 29 | 12 | 21 | 139 | 102 | 46.77 | 19.35 | 33.87 |
Israel | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 50 | 50 | 0 |
Italy | 10 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 24 | 20 | 0 | 80 |
Jamaica | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 |
Japan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Kuwait | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 |
Latvia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Liechtenstein | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Luxembourg | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Malta | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Mexico | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 20 | 40 | 40 |
Moldova | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 75 | 0 | 25 |
Montenegro | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 33.33 | 0 | 66.67 |
Netherlands | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 80 |
New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 100 | 0 |
North Macedonia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 50 | 0 | 50 |
Northern Ireland | 35 | 16 | 12 | 7 | 52 | 31 | 45.71 | 34.29 | 20 |
Norway | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 14 | 27.27 | 36.36 | 45.45 |
Panama | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100 | 0 |
Paraguay | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 |
Poland | 10 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 10 | 20 | 70 |
Portugal | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 25 | 0 | 75 |
Qatar | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Republic of Ireland | 19 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 19 | 18 | 42.11 | 26.32 | 31.58 |
Rest of the United Kingdom | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 50 | 0 | 50 |
Romania | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 20 | 20 | 60 |
Russia | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 20 | 20 | 60 |
San Marino | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Saudi Arabia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Scotland | 107 | 23 | 23 | 61 | 124 | 243 | 21.5 | 21.5 | 57.01 |
Serbia | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 33.33 | 66.67 |
Slovakia | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 60 | 20 | 20 |
Slovenia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 |
South Korea | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 |
Soviet Union | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 20 | 40 | 40 |
Spain | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 16.67 | 33.33 | 50 |
Sweden | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 14.29 | 85.71 |
Switzerland | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 17 | 25 | 12.5 | 62.5 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Tunisia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
Turkey | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 9 | 50 | 12.5 | 37.5 |
Ukraine | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 50 | 25 |
Uruguay | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 50 |
United States | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 66.67 | 33.33 |
Yugoslavia | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 18 | 0 | 42.86 | 57.14 |
West Germany | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 42.86 | 57.14 |
Totals | 706 | 225 | 157 | 324 | 878 | 1140 | 31.87 | 22.24 | 45.89 |
P – Played; W – Won; D – Drawn; L – Lost
Statistics include official FIFA recognised matches only
Up to date as of 15 October 2023
By decade
Decade | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W% | D% | L% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1870s | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 20 | −19 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
1880s | 28 | 8 | 3 | 17 | 60 | 82 | −22 | 28.57 | 10.71 | 60.71 |
1890s | 30 | 3 | 5 | 22 | 43 | 112 | −69 | 10 | 16.67 | 73.33 |
1900s | 30 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 37 | 60 | −23 | 26.67 | 26.67 | 46.67 |
1910s | 15 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 15 | 23 | −8 | 20 | 20 | 60 |
1920s | 32 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 42 | 61 | −19 | 28.13 | 31.25 | 40.63 |
1930s | 30 | 13 | 5 | 12 | 54 | 60 | −6 | 43.33 | 16.67 | 40 |
1940s | 15 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 20 | 31 | −11 | 33.33 | 0 | 66.67 |
1950s | 49 | 14 | 14 | 21 | 66 | 91 | −25 | 28.57 | 28.57 | 42.86 |
1960s | 54 | 12 | 9 | 33 | 74 | 108 | −34 | 22.22 | 16.67 | 61.11 |
1970s | 65 | 20 | 18 | 27 | 60 | 67 | −7 | 30.77 | 27.69 | 41.54 |
1980s | 68 | 24 | 19 | 25 | 80 | 72 | 8 | 35.29 | 27.94 | 36.76 |
1990s | 67 | 24 | 10 | 33 | 79 | 109 | −30 | 35.82 | 14.93 | 49.25 |
2000s | 89 | 32 | 23 | 34 | 101 | 97 | 4 | 35.96 | 25.84 | 38.2 |
2010s | 85 | 34 | 16 | 35 | 95 | 96 | −1 | 40 | 18.82 | 41.18 |
2020s | 44 | 17 | 13 | 14 | 48 | 48 | 0 | 38.64 | 29.55 | 31.82 |
Overall | 706 | 226 | 156 | 324 | 875 | 1137 | −262 | 32.01 | 22.1 | 45.89 |
P – Played,
W – Won,
D – Drawn,
L – Lost,
GF – Goals For,
GA – Goals Against,
GD – Goal Difference
Statistics include official FIFA recognised matches only
Up to date as of 15 October 2023
Notes
- nb1 Only clubs played for while receiving caps are listed.
See also
- British Home Championship
- 1954 FIFA World Cup qualification
- 1958 FIFA World Cup qualification
- 1958 FIFA World Cup
References
Bibliography
- Hayes, Dean P. (1994). Wales: The Complete Who's Who of Footballers Since 1946. Sutton Publishing. ISBN 0-7509-3700-9.
- Oliver, Guy (1992). The Guinness Record of World Soccer. Guinness. ISBN 0-85112-954-4.