# Wales national football team records and statistics

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 19 November 2024
| Rank | Player | Clubs | Wales career | Caps | Goals |
| 1 | Gareth Bale | Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, Los Angeles FC | 2006–2022 | 111 | 41 |
| 2 | Chris Gunter | Cardiff City, Tottenham Hotspur, Nottingham Forest, Reading, Charlton Athletic | 2007–2022 | 109 | 0 |
| = | Wayne Hennessey | Wolverhampton Wanderers, Crystal Palace, Burnley, Nottingham Forest | 2007– | 109 | 0 |
| 4 | Neville Southall | Everton, Port Vale | 1982–1998 | 92 | 0 |
| = | Ben Davies | Swansea City, Tottenham Hotspur | 2012– | 92 | 2 |
| 6 | Ashley Williams | Stockport County, Swansea City, Everton | 2008–2019 | 86 | 2 |
| = | Aaron Ramsey | Arsenal, Juventus, Rangers, Nice, Cardiff City | 2008– | 86 | 21 |
| 8 | Gary Speed | Leeds United, Everton, Newcastle United, Bolton Wanderers | 1990–2004 | 85 | 7 |
| 9 | Craig Bellamy | Norwich City, Coventry City, Newcastle United, Blackburn Rovers, Liverpool, West Ham United, Manchester City, Cardiff City | 1998–2013 | 78 | 19 |
| 10 | Joe Ledley | Cardiff City, Celtic, Crystal Palace, Derby County | 2006–2018 | 77 | 4 |
| 11 | Joe Allen | Swansea City, Liverpool, Stoke City | 2009–2024 | 76 | 2 |
| 12 | Dean Saunders | Oxford United, Derby County, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Galatasaray, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, Benfica, Bradford City | 1986–2001 | 75 | 22 |
| 13 | Peter Nicholas | Crystal Palace, Arsenal, Luton Town, Aberdeen, Chelsea | 1979–1991 | 73 | 2 |
| = | Ian Rush | Liverpool, Juventus | 1980–1996 | 73 | 28 |
| 15 | Mark Hughes | Manchester United, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Southampton | 1984–1999 | 72 | 16 |
| = | Joey Jones | Liverpool, Wrexham, Chelsea, Huddersfield Town | 1975–1986 | 72 | 1 |

### Top goalscorers

    As of 19 November 2024
| 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– | 86 | 21 | 0.24 |
| 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: Rubin Colwill – 20 years and 216 days
* Oldest player to play at World Cup finals: Wayne Hennessey – 35 years and 305 days
* 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

* Biggest Win: 11–0 vs Ireland, 3 March 1888
* Biggest Loss: 0–9 vs Scotland, 23 March 1878

### 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
** Ivor Allchurch (1958)

### 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
** Gareth Bale (2016)

## 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 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 75 | 25 |
| 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 | 17 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 25 | 14 | 41.18 | 29.41 | 29.41 |
| 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 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 50 | 50 | 0 |
| Greece | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 50 | 0 | 50 |
| Hungary | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 15 | 50 | 16.67 | 33.33 |
| Iceland | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 8 | 66.67 | 22.22 | 11.11 |
| 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 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 50 | 0 | 50 |
| Netherlands | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
| 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 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 9.09 | 27.27 | 63.64 |
| 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 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 13 | 50 | 20 | 33.33 |
| 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 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 10 | 36.36 | 36.36 | 27.27 |
| 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 | 718 | 229 | 164 | 325 | 891 | 1150 | 31.89 | 22.84 | 45.26 |
P – Played; W – Won; D – Drawn; L – Lost Statistics include official FIFA recognised matches only Up to date as of 19 November 2024

### 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 | 56 | 21 | 20 | 15 | 63 | 59 | 4 | 37.5 | 35.71 | 26.79 |
| Overall | 718 | 230 | 163 | 325 | 889 | 1149 | −258 | 32.03 | 22.7 | 45.26 |
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 19 November 2024