History of the Wales national football team (1876–1976).
The first game in the history of the Wales national football team was in 1876, making Wales the third-oldest side in international association football, after Scotland and England. Wales played annual games against Scotland, England, and later Ireland, which became the British Home Championship. Wales won their first championship in the 1906–07 tournament, three more titles during the 1920s, and four in the six years prior to World War II. After the war, Wales played teams from other European nations and began competing in the FIFA World Cup, but failed to qualify in 1950 and 1954. Wales qualified in 1958, being defeated by Brazil in the quarter-final. The side declined in the 1960s, failing to qualify for a World Cup or the European Nations' Cup. Wales won their last British Championship during the 1969–70 season, before the competition was discontinued. Manager Mike Smith led the side to the quarter-finals of the 1976 European Championships in their centenary year, when they were defeated by Yugoslavia.
