Yugoslavia national football team

The Yugoslavia national football team is the team that represents the country of Yugoslavia in international competition and is controlled by the Football Association of Yugoslavia.

Yugoslavia has qualified for eight FIFA World Cups with their best result being 3rd place at the 1926 FIFA World Cup and the 1954 FIFA World Cup. They have also competed at the European Nations Cup once with their best result being a fourth place finish at the 1956 edition.

Beginnings
The first instance of a Yugoslavia happened after the first World War took place with the formation of the Kingdom of Serb, Croats and Slovenes national team being created in 1919 with the team competing in their first match only a year later as they took on fellow debutantes at the 1920 Summer Olympics where they lose 5-0 in the first round. Only two years later they would be invite to compete at the 1922 FIFA World Cup in the Netherlands. After defeating by a single goal from Vladimir Vinek, they would be defeated in the quarter-finals, losing 3-0 to the hosts.

In early 1925, Yugoslavia competed in qualifying for the 1926 FIFA World Cup which was held in Spain. In a group which featured, Czechoslovakia, and, they would come out and book their automatic spot into the World Cup with  scoring four goals during the campaign. After some warm-ups matches during the end of 1925, they were drawn in Group D with 1922 runner-up, Netherlands, and debutant the  who was the first team in North America to compete at a World Cup. After only just scraping through to a 1-0 win against the United States from. After losing 2-1 to Hungary and 2-0 to the Netherlands, they would only just scrape through to the quarter finals by goal average after the match between the United States and Hungary saw match-fixing allegations occur in the Hungary camp.

After defeating in the quarter finals in extra time from a goal from Petkovic and, they would fall in the semi-finals to  before defeating  in the third place play-off. Skipping the 1928 Summer Olympics, Yugoslavia finished top of their qualifying group for the 1930 FIFA World Cup which featured Romania, Hungary and. Seeded in Pot 2 for the World Cup, they would put in Group A with hosts, Uruguay, and debutants. Compared to 1926, they had an easier time getting through the group with scoring five goals during the group stage as they finished behind the hosts. This meant they had to take on in the quarters where two goals from  knocking Yugoslavia out of the tournament.

The low 30s
After winning consecutive Balkan Cups in 1931 and 1932, Yugoslavia would only to make it to the quarter-finals of the 1932 Summer Olympics when they lost to silver medalists the United States 2-0. This would later than see Yugoslavia qualified through to the 1934 FIFA World Cup in Italy as they finished slightly ahead of Romania by goal difference. At the World Cup they were drawn in Group D with Czechoslovakia, Germany and Bulgaria. After comfortably winning their first two games against Germany (5-0) and Bulgaria (6-0), they conceded three goals in their defeat to Czechoslovakia. Yugoslavia though would just survive by goal average as they finished ahead of Germany who would come in third. though would end the campaign of Yugoslavia as goals from and  gave Brazil the win.

After only get a podium in the following three editions of the Balkan Cup, the next major tournament that Yugoslavia would compete in was the 1938 FIFA World Cup held in Argentina. After only just scraping through qualifying through an 89th minute goal from against Poland, they would be eliminated in the first round for the first (and to date only) first round exit as two goals from  book Romania's spot into the quarters. This would be the last tournament until the second World War ravaged Europe.

After the War
Taking out the 1946 and 1947 Balkan Cup, Yugoslavia entered the 1948 Summer Olympics as one of the favorites to win the title. After knocking over and  in the first two rounds, they took on  in the semi-finals. Three different goal-scorers in the semi-final would secure a spot in the gold medal match where they took on. After conceding the opening goal in the 15th minute, they would equalize from a goal in the 34th minute. With the match looking to go into extra time, a late 85th minute goal from Sweden would relegate Yugoslavia to the silver medal.

In late 1949, Yugoslavia entered qualifying for the 1950 FIFA World Cup which was held in Sweden. After winning 3-0 in Athens, they would be defeated 2-1 to Austria as they would have entered the play-offs for the World Cup. But the withdrawal of Czechoslovkia meant that they qualified through to the World Cup. As the third ranked in the world, they were put in pot one and was drawn in Group D with two debutants ( and, the United States and Romania. After smashing Korea 7-0 in the opening game in Helsingborg, they would have a shock 2-0 loss to Great Britain in the following game with and  scoring the goals. A win over Romania was followed by a late draw against the United States with  getting a goal in the 84th minute. This meant that they would have to take on Sweden in a replay of the 1948 final and after  scored the opener, it would take until the 85th minute for a reply with  scoring the goal. This meant that the game went into extra time with  scoring the winning goal for Sweden in the 117th minute to knock out Yugoslavia.

Podium winners
Losing to the at the following Olympics, Yugoslavia qualified top of their group for the 1954 FIFA World Cup finishing ahead of  and Greece. Breezing through on top of the group stage which featured Austria, and. In the quarter-finals against, they fell behind early by a goal from but two goals on either half from  secured a spot in the semi-finals as Yugoslavia won 2-1. Much like their first appearance in a semi-final, Yugoslavia would be bundled out of the semi-final with a 3-0 defeat to eventual champions Hungary. A double in the third-place playoff would equal their best result at a World Cup.

The following year, Yugoslavia competed in qualifying for the first European Nations Cup. Defeating Finland in the opening round, they took on Hungary for a spot in the main tournament. After winning the first leg 1-0 from a goal, they conceded the opening two goals of the return leg in Budapest to fall behind. But goals from and Branko Zebec booked Yugoslavia into the main tournament where they would go on to finish in third place. Losing to Romania in extra-time in the semi-final from a goal before defeating Turkey in the third place playoff.

In December that year, Yugoslavia went on to take out the 1956 Summer Olympics gold medal with wins over the United States and Bulgaria. In the final, they took on where they would win 2-1. The following year, they was placed in Group 8 of qualifying for the 1958 FIFA World Cup with Czechoslovakia and Poland. Yugoslavia finished top of the group which meant they qualified through as the top seed for the 1958 World Cup. Being placed in Group C with France, Turkey and Canada, Yugoslavia finished second in the group losing to France from two late goals in the last fifteen minutes costing them the top spot in the group. In the quarter-finals, they would lose to Brazil with scoring the winning goal for Brazil.

FIFA World Cup
Gold  Silver   Bronze

European Nations Cup
Gold  Silver   Bronze