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.

FIFA World Cup
Gold  Silver   Bronze

European Nations Cup
Gold  Silver   Bronze