Yugoslavia national football team
The first national team of what was then the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes played its debut match at the Summer Olympics in Antwerp during 1920. The Football Federation founded in Zagreb in 1919 under the name Jugoslavenski nogometni savez had just been admitted into FIFA. A historic starting eleven represented the country on that day including 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 to Czechoslovakia but nonetheless got their names in the history books.
Yugoslavia participated at the 1930 FIFA World Cup finishing in fourth place after a famous 2, 1 win versus mighty Brazil in Montevideo's Parque Central. The team was the youngest squad at the inaugural World Cup with an average age of just under 22 years old. Players like Milovan Jakšić, Branislav Sekulić, Aleksandar Tirnanić, Milutin Ivković, Ivica Bek, Momčilo Đokić, Blagoje Marjanović, Milorad Arsenijević, Đorđe Vujadinović, Dragoslav Mihajlović, and Ljubiša Stefanović formed the lineup. The national team consisted of players based in Serbian football clubs while the Zagreb Subassociation forbid players from Croatian clubs to play due to the relocation of the football association headquarters from Zagreb to Belgrade in 1929. The Uruguayan public dubbed them Los Ichachos making them quite popular among locals.
Yugoslavia won the Olympic football tournament in 1960 at the Summer Games earning a gold medal. They also finished second three times during the mid-20th century including silver medals in 1948 and 1952. In the final against Sweden they lost after defeating Luxembourg 6, 1 and taking out Turkey and Great Britain by the same score of 3, 1. Against the USSR in 1952 Yugoslavia was 5, 1 up with 15 minutes remaining before captain Vsevolod Bobrov scored a hat-trick to force a draw. Match referee Arthur Ellis recorded what happened next in his book The Final Whistle published in London in 1963 stating that the word sensational was justified for the match outcome. The team developed a reputation for skillful and attacking football leading to their nickname as the Brazilians of Europe.
Dragan Džajić holds the record for the most national team caps at 85 between 1964 and 1979. Stjepan Bobek is the best scorer with 38 goals between 1946 and 1956. Zlatko Vujović earned 70 caps scoring 25 goals from 1979 to 1990 while Branko Zebec made 65 appearances scoring 17 goals from 1951 to 1961. The squad participated in eight World Cups and four European Championships developing a reputation for attacking play. In 1976 Yugoslavia organized the European Championship played in Belgrade and Zagreb showing their growing influence on continental football. The combination of technical ability and aggressive tactics created a distinct identity recognized across the continent during the mid-20th century.
At the Yugoslavia-Netherlands friendly in preparation for the 1990 World Cup the Croatian crowd in Zagreb jeered the Yugoslav team and anthem waving Dutch flags owing to its resemblance to the Croatian tricolour. With the dissolution of Yugoslavia the remaining team of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was banned from competing at Euro 92. The decision was made on the 31st of May 1992 just 10 days before the competition commenced due to United Nations Security Council Resolution 757. They had finished top of their qualifying group but were unable to play because of UN sanctions on Yugoslavia. Their place was taken by Denmark who went on to win the competition. FRY was barred from competing rendering the group unusually weak in the 1994 World Cup qualifying tournament.
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 considered by both organizations as the only successor of Yugoslavia and of Serbia and Montenegro. After the breakup of Yugoslavia the FRY consisted of Montenegro and Serbia. Bosnia and Herzegovina Croatia Slovenia North Macedonia and Kosovo all became members of UEFA and FIFA since the 1990s while Montenegro joined in 2006 and Kosovo in 2016.
Common questions
When did the Yugoslavia national football team play its first match?
The Yugoslavia national football team played its debut match at the Summer Olympics in Antwerp during 1920. The Football Federation founded in Zagreb in 1919 under the name Jugoslavenski nogometni savez had just been admitted into FIFA.
What was the average age of the Yugoslavia squad at the 1930 FIFA World Cup?
Yugoslavia fielded the youngest squad at the inaugural World Cup with an average age of just under 22 years old. Players like Milovan Jakšić, Branislav Sekulić, and Aleksandar Tirnanić formed this historic lineup that finished fourth after a famous win versus Brazil.
Who holds the record for most caps for the Yugoslavia national football team?
Dragan Džajić holds the record for the most national team caps at 85 between 1964 and 1979. Stjepan Bobek is the best scorer with 38 goals between 1946 and 1956 while Zlatko Vujović earned 70 caps scoring 25 goals from 1979 to 1990.
Why was the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia banned from Euro 92?
The decision was made on the 31st of May 1992 due to United Nations Security Council Resolution 757 which imposed sanctions on Yugoslavia. The ban occurred just 10 days before the competition commenced despite the team having finished top of their qualifying group.
When did the Serbia and Montenegro national team stop using the name Yugoslavia?
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 considered by both organizations as the only successor of Yugoslavia and of Serbia and Montenegro.