Yugoslavia National Football Team

The Yugoslavia national football team; ; ; represented Yugoslavia in international association football.

Although the team mainly represented the pre-war Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the post-war SFR Yugoslavia, various iterations of the state were formally constituted in football, including the:
* Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (1918–1929)
* Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1929–1945)
* Democratic Federal Yugoslavia (1945)
* Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia (1945–1963)
* Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1963–1992)

It enjoyed success in international competition, reaching the semi-finals at the 1930 and 1962 FIFA World Cups. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international competition as part of the United Nations sanctions on Yugoslavia.

History

The first national team was in the kingdom that existed between the two world wars. The Football Federation of what was then the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was founded in Zagreb in 1919 under the name '' Jugoslavenski nogometni savez'' (and admitted into FIFA), and the national team played its first international game at the Summer Olympics in Antwerp in 1920. The opponent was Czechoslovakia, and the historic starting eleven that represented Kingdom of SCS on its debut were: Dragutin Vrđuka, Vjekoslav Župančić, Jaroslav Šifer, Stanko Tavčar, Slavin Cindrić, Rudolf Rupec, Dragutin Vragović, Artur Dubravčić, Emil Perška, Ivan Granec, and Jovan Ružić. They lost by a huge margin 0–7, but nonetheless got their names in the history books.

1930 World Cup

In 1929, the country was renamed to Yugoslavia and the football association became '' Fudbalski savez Jugoslavije'' and ordered to move its headquarters from Zagreb to Belgrade. The national team participated at the 1930 FIFA World Cup, finishing in fourth place. In its first ever World Cup match in Montevideo's Parque Central, Yugoslavia managed a famous 2–1 win versus mighty Brazil, with the following starting eleven representing the country: Milovan Jakšić, Branislav Sekulić, Aleksandar Tirnanić, Milutin Ivković, Ivica Bek, Momčilo Đokić, Blagoje Marjanović, Milorad Arsenijević, Đorđe Vujadinović, Dragoslav Mihajlović, and Ljubiša Stefanović. The team was the youngest squad at the inaugural World Cup at an average age of just under 22 years old, and became quite popular among the Uruguayan public, who dubbed them "Los Ichachos". The national team consisted of players based in Serbian football clubs, while the Zagreb Subassociation forbid players from Croatian clubs, some of whom were regulars in the national team until then, to play in the World Cup due to the relocation of football association's headquarters from Zagreb to Belgrade.

Post-World War II period

The federation and football overall was disrupted by World War II. After the war, a socialist federation was formed and the football federation reconstituted. It was one of the founding members of the UEFA in 1954.

Silver Medal at 1948 Summer Olympics

Yugoslavia began their football campaign by defeating Luxembourg 6–1, with five different players scoring the goals. In the quarter-finals and the semi-finals, they would take out Turkey and Great Britain by the same score of 3–1. In the final though, they would lose to Sweden.

Silver Medal at 1952 Summer Olympics

Having a team with many players from the 1948 generation, Yugoslavia was a formidable side at the 1952 Summer Olympics and finished as runners-up behind the famous " Golden Team" representing Hungary. Against the USSR, Yugoslavia was 5–1 up with 15 minutes of their first round match to go. The Yugoslavs, understandably, put their feet up. Arthur Ellis, the match referee, recorded what happened next in his book, ''The Final Whistle'' (London, 1963): "The USSR forced the most honourable draw ever recorded! sevolod Bobrov, their captain, scored a magnificent hat-trick. After the USSR had reduced the lead to 5–2, he, almost single-handed, took the score to 5–5, scoring his third in the last minute. For once, use of the word sensational was justified." Although Bobrov's early goal in their replay presaged a miraculous recovery, Yugoslavia recovered sufficiently to put out their opponents easily in the second half.

Later decades

In 1976, Yugoslavia organized the European Championship played in Belgrade and Zagreb. The national team participated in eight World Cups and four Euros, won the Olympic football tournament in 1960 at the Summer Games (they also finished second three times and third once), and developed a reputation for skillful and attacking football, leading them to be dubbed "the Brazilians of Europe".

Dragan Džajić holds the record for the most national team caps at 85, between 1964 and 1979. The best scorer is Stjepan Bobek with 38 goals, between 1946 and 1956.

Dissolution and UN embargo

With the end of the Cold War, democratic principles were introduced to the country which brought about the end of Titoist rule. In the subsequent atmosphere, national tensions were heightened. At the Yugoslavia-Netherlands friendly in preparation for the 1990 World Cup, the Croatian crowd in Zagreb jeered the Yugoslav team and anthem and waved Dutch flags (owing to its resemblance to the Croatian tricolour). With the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the team split up and the remaining team of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) was banned from competing at Euro 92. The decision was made on 31 May 1992, just 10 days before the competition commenced. They had finished top of their qualifying group, but were unable to play in the competition due to United Nations Security Council Resolution 757. Their place was taken by Denmark, who went on to win the competition.

After the breakup of Yugoslavia, the FRY consisted of Montenegro and Serbia.

In 1992, Yugoslavia had also been drawn as the second seed in Group 5 of the European Zone in the qualifying tournament for the 1994 World Cup. FRY was barred from competing, rendering the group unusually weak.

In 1994, when the boycott was lifted, the union of Serbia and Montenegro competed under the name "Yugoslavia", as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia national football team. The Serbia and Montenegro national team continued under Yugoslavia's naming until 2003 when the country and team were renamed Serbia and Montenegro.

The Serbia national football team inherited Yugoslavia's spot within FIFA and UEFA and is considered by both organizations as the only successor of Yugoslavia (and of Serbia and Montenegro).Serbia
at FIFA official websiteNews: Serbia
at UEFA official website, published 1 January 2011, Retrieved 4 October 2012

Youth teams

The under-21 team won the inaugural UEFA U-21 Championship in 1978.

The Yugoslav under-20 team won the FIFA World Youth Championship 1987.

Kits

Competitive record

FIFA World Cup record

Champions   Runners-up   Third place   Fourth place  

UEFA European Championship record

Champions   Runners-up   Third place   Fourth place  

:''*Denotes draws including knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.''

Mediterranean Games

Yugoslavia Olympic football team

Balkan Cup

:''*Edition abandoned.''

Player statistics

Most capped players

Top goalscorers

Notable players

;Goalkeepers

File:Vladimir Beara 1953.jpg, Vladimir Beara played 59 matches from 1950 to 1959
File:Milutin Šoškić.jpg, Milutin Šoškić played 50 matches from 1959 to 1966

;Defenders

File:Milutin Ivković (1928).jpg, Milutin Ivković played for Yugoslavia from 1925 to 1934 and captained the team in 1930 FIFA World Cup
File:Milorad Arsenijević (1928).jpg, Milorad Arsenijević played for Yugoslavia from 1927 to 1934
File:Stankovic-branko.jpg, Branko Stanković played for Yugoslavia from 1946 to 1956
File:Branko Zebec 1953.jpg, Branko Zebec played for Yugoslavia from 1951 to 1961 and captained the team in 1958 FIFA World Cup
File:Fahrudin Jusufi (1966).jpg, Fahrudin Jusufi played for Yugoslavia from 1959 to 1967
File:Velibor Vasovic.jpg, Velibor Vasović played for Yugoslavia from 1961 to 1966

;Midfielders

File:Aleksandar Tirnanić.jpg, Aleksandar Tirnanić played in the 1930 FIFA World Cup and managed the team from 1953 to 1960
File:Zlatko Čajkovski 1953.jpg, Zlatko Čajkovski played 55 matches for the team from 1946 to 1955
File:Vukas.JPG, Bernard Vukas played 59 matches for the team from 1948 to 1957
File:Vujadin Boškov (1976).jpg, Vujadin Boškov played for the team from 1951 to 1958
File:Dragoslav Sekularac Serbian White Eagles banquet 2007.jpg, Dragoslav Šekularac played for the team from 1956 to 1966
File:Dragan Džajić.jpg, Dragan Džajić was considered by many to be the best player in the history of Yugoslavia
File:Ilija Petković in 2006.jpg, Ilija Petković, explosive right winger played for the team from 1968 to 1974
File:Petrovich.JPG, Vladimir Petrović, creative midfielder played for the team from 1973 to 1982
File:Safet Susic 2013.JPG, Safet Sušić played for the team from 1977 to 1990
File:Драган Стојковић Пикси 2021.png, Dragan Stojković played from 1983 until the breakup of Yugoslavia
File:Dejan Savićević.jpg, Dejan Savićević played for the team from 1986 until breakup of Yugoslavia

;Forwards

File:Rajko Mitić (1970).jpg, Rajko Mitić scored 32 goals in 59 matches between 1946 and 1957
File:Stjepan Bobek.jpg, Stjepan Bobek is top goal scorer in the team's history with 38 goals
File:Milutinovic.jpg, Miloš Milutinović scored 16 goals in 33 matches between 1953 and 1958
File:Bora Kostić.jpg, Bora Kostić scored 26 goals in 33 matches between 1956 and 1964
File:Drazan Jerkovic.JPG, Dražan Jerković was a top goal scorer on 1962 FIFA World Cup
File:Milan Galić.png, Milan Galić scored 37 goals in 51 matches between 1959 and 1965
File:Josip Skoblar en 1970.jpg, Josip Skoblar, 1971 European Golden Shoe, winner scored 11 goals in 32 matches
File:Dušan Bajević (cropped).png, Dušan Bajević scored 29 goals in 37 matches between 1970 and 1977
File:Дарко Панчев 2020.png, Darko Pančev, 1991 European Golden Shoe winner, played for the team from 1984 until breakup of Yugoslavia

Head-to-head record

Head coaches

Honours

Major competitions

* UEFA European Championship
** Runners-up (2): 1960, 1968
* Olympic Games
** Gold Medal (1): 1960
** Silver Medal (3): 1948, 1952, 1956
** Bronze Medal (1): 1984

Regional

* Balkan Cup
** Winners (2): 1934–35, 1935
** Runners-up (6): 1929–31, 1932, 1933, 1946, 1947, 1977–80
** Third place (1): 1931
* Mediterranean Games
** Gold medal (2): 1971, 1979

Friendly

* 1945 Yugoslav Football Tournament
** Champions (1): 1945

Summary

See also

* List of Yugoslavia international footballers
* List of Yugoslavia national football team goalscorers
* Yugoslavia national football team results (1920–41)
* Yugoslavia national football team results (1946–69)
* Yugoslavia national football team results (1970–92)
* Yugoslavia national under-21 football team
* Yugoslavia national under-20 football team

Teams from successor states

* Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team (member of UEFA and FIFA since 1990s)
* Croatia national football team (member of UEFA and FIFA since 1990s)
* Slovenia national football team (member of UEFA and FIFA since 1990s)
* North Macedonia national football team (member of UEFA and FIFA since 1990s)
* Serbia and Montenegro national football team (considered successor of Yugoslavia by UEFA and FIFA), later:
** Montenegro national football team (member of UEFA and FIFA since 2006)
** Serbia national football team (considered successor of Serbia and Montenegro, as Serbia since 2008)
* Kosovo national football team (member of UEFA and FIFA since 2016)

Notes

References

Bibliography

*

External links

*

RSSSF – ''Yugoslavia men's national football team international matches'' 1920–1992




* ttp://www.reprezentacija.rs/ Yugoslavia national football team web page

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yugoslavia National Football Team

Former national association football teams in Europe
1920 establishments in Yugoslavia
Football in Yugoslavia
National sports teams established in 1920