England Vs. Wales Soccer History
The history of English and Welsh soccer is closely intertwined, though the two achieved different amounts of success. Despite many players and even some teams playing in the English leagues, Welsh soccer has failed to achieve the same results as the English leagues.
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Football Associations
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The governing body of English soccer, The Football Association, is the oldest in the world, having been formed in 1863. The Welsh Football Association is the third oldest in the world, having been formed in 1876.
World Cup
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The English national team won the 1966 World Cup and appeared in the 1990 semi-final. The Welsh national team reached the quarter-final of the 1958 tournament in the country's only appearance in a World Cup finals.
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European Championships
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Neither country has won this competition, with England reaching the semi-finals in 1968 and 1996. Wales has yet to qualify for a European Championship finals.
Leagues
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The first English league, The Football League is still in existence despite the resignation of the top teams to form the Premier League in 1992. The first League of Wales was formed in 1992 but does not feature the top Welsh teams of Wrexham, Cardiff City and Swansea City, who still play in the English leagues.
International Debut
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The first international game was played between England and Scotland, ending in a 0-0 draw on November 30, 1872. Wales played its first international game against Scotland, losing 4-0, in 1876.
Stanley Mortensen
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English-born Blackpool striker Stanley Mortensen made international debuts for both Wales and England. Mortensen stepped in from the England squad to play for Wales after Ivor Powell was injured before a 1943 international, and went on to feature for the English national team throughout the 1940s and 1950s.
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