Yugoslavia national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Yugoslavia

to 1920–1992
(1920–1941) and  (1945–1992)
Nickname(s)	Plavi (The Blues) Brazilians of Europe
Association	Football Association of Yugoslavia
Most caps	Dragan Džajić (85)
Top scorer	Stjepan Bobek (38)
Home stadium	Stadium Rajko Mitić, Belgrade
FIFA code	YUG
First colours Second colours
First international
Czechoslovakia 7–0 Kingdom of SCS  (Antwerp, Belgium; 28 August 1920)
Biggest win
Yugoslavia 10–0 Venezuela  (Curitiba, Brazil; 14 June 1972)
Biggest defeat
Czechoslovakia 7–0 Kingdom of SCS  (Antwerp, Belgium; 28 August 1920)  Uruguay 7–0 Kingdom of SCS  (Paris, France; 26 May 1924)  Czechoslovakia 7–0 Kingdom of SCS  (Prague, Czechoslovakia; 28 October 1925)
World Cup
Appearances	8 (first in 1930)
Best result	Fourth place (1930, 1962)
European Championship
Appearances	4 (first in 1960)
Best result	Runners-up (1960, 1968)
Medal record Men's Football UEFA European Championship Silver 1960 France Team Silver 1968 Italy Team Olympic Games Gold 1960 Rome Team Silver 1948 London Team Silver 1952 Helsinki Team Silver 1956 Melbourne Team Bronze 1984 Los Angeles Team Balkan Cup Gold 1934–35 Greece Team Gold 1935 Bulgaria Team Mediterranean Games Gold 1971 İzmir Team Gold 1979 Split Team

The Yugoslavia national football team was a famous football team that represented the country of Yugoslavia in international matches. This team played from 1920 until 1992. It was known for its skillful and attacking style of play. Because of this, people sometimes called them "the Brazilians of Europe."

The team played for different versions of the Yugoslav state over the years. These included the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. They had a lot of success in major tournaments. For example, they reached the semi-finals of the World Cup twice. In 1992, the team was stopped from playing due to international rules. This happened during a difficult time for the country.

History of Yugoslav Football

The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes team at the Summer Olympics in 1924 (left) and 1928 (right).

The first national football team was formed in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. This was the country's name between the two World Wars. The Football Association of Yugoslavia was created in 1919. It joined FIFA, the world football body, that same year.

The team played its very first international game at the Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1920. They played against Czechoslovakia. The historic starting players 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 the game 0–7, but they still made history!

The 1930 World Cup Adventure

A Yugoslavia team line-up at the 1930 FIFA World Cup.

In 1929, the country changed its name to Yugoslavia. The football association also moved its main office to Belgrade. The national team then took part in the very first 1930 FIFA World Cup. They finished in an amazing fourth place!

In their first World Cup match, Yugoslavia had a famous 2–1 win against Brazil. The team was very young, with players averaging under 22 years old. The local fans in Uruguay loved them and called them "Los Ichachos."

Football After World War II

World War II caused a big break in football. After the war, a new socialist country was formed. The football association was restarted. In 1954, Yugoslavia became one of the founding members of UEFA, the European football body.

Olympic Success: Silver Medals

Yugoslavia had a strong team in the 1948 Summer Olympics. They beat Luxembourg 6–1 in their first game. They also defeated Turkey and Great Britain. In the final match, they lost to Sweden, earning a silver medal.

At the 1952 Summer Olympics, Yugoslavia was again a very strong team. They finished as runners-up, losing only to the famous "Golden Team" from Hungary. In one exciting match against the USSR, Yugoslavia was leading 5–1. But the USSR made an incredible comeback, scoring four goals in the last 15 minutes to draw 5–5! Yugoslavia won the replay match easily.

Later Years and Achievements

In 1976, Yugoslavia hosted the European Championship in Belgrade and Zagreb. The national team played in eight World Cups and four Euros. They won the Olympic football tournament in 1960. They also earned three silver medals and one bronze medal at the Olympics.

Dragan Džajić played the most games for the national team, with 85 appearances between 1964 and 1979. The top goal scorer was Stjepan Bobek, who scored 38 goals from 1946 to 1956.

The Team's End

As the Cold War ended, Yugoslavia faced big changes. Tensions grew between different parts of the country. In 1990, during a friendly match in Zagreb, some fans booed the Yugoslav team.

With the breakup of Yugoslavia, the team eventually split apart. The remaining team, representing the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, was not allowed to play in Euro 92. This decision was made just 10 days before the tournament started. Yugoslavia had won their qualifying group, but they couldn't play due to United Nations rules. Denmark took their place and surprisingly went on to win the competition!

After the breakup, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was made up of Montenegro and Serbia. In 1994, when the ban was lifted, this team played under the name "Yugoslavia." Later, in 2003, the country and team were renamed Serbia and Montenegro. Today, the Serbia national football team is seen as the official successor of the Yugoslavia team by FIFA and UEFA.

Youth Teams: Future Stars

Yugoslavia also had very successful youth football teams. The under-21 team won the first-ever UEFA U-21 Championship in 1978. The Yugoslav under-20 team also won the FIFA World Youth Championship in 1987. These wins showed the great talent coming up in Yugoslav football.

Team Kits Over Time

The Yugoslavia national football team wore different kits (uniforms) throughout its history. Here are some examples of their home kits:

1930	1950–1968	1974	1976	1982	1984	1990–1991	1992–1996
1996–1997 (as FR Yugoslavia)	1998	2000–2001	2002–2003

Tournament Records

The Yugoslavia team played in many important football tournaments. They had some great results in the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship.

FIFA World Cup Appearances

     Champions       Runners-up       Third place       Fourth place  

FIFA World Cup Record											Qualification Record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squads		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930	Semi-finals	4th	3	2	0	1	7	7	Squad		Invited
1934	Did not qualify										2	0	1	1	3	4
1938											2	1	0	1	1	4
1950	Group stage	5th	3	2	0	1	7	3	Squad		5	3	2	0	16	6
1954	Quarter-final	7th	3	1	1	1	2	3	Squad		4	4	0	0	4	0
1958	Quarter-final	5th	4	1	2	1	7	7	Squad		4	2	2	0	7	2
1962	Fourth place	4th	6	3	0	3	10	7	Squad		4	3	1	0	11	4
1966	Did not qualify										6	3	1	2	10	8
1970											6	3	1	2	19	7
1974	Second group stage	7th	6	1	2	3	12	7	Squad		5	3	2	0	8	4
1978	Did not qualify										4	1	0	3	6	8
1982	Group stage	16th	3	1	1	1	2	2	Squad		8	6	1	1	22	7
1986	Did not qualify										8	3	2	3	7	8
1990	Quarter-final	5th	5	3	1	1	8	6	Squad		8	6	2	0	16	6
Total	Fourth place	8/14	33	14	7	12	55	42	–		66	38	15	13	130	68

UEFA European Championship Appearances

     Champions       Runners-up       Third place       Fourth place  

UEFA European Championship Record											Qualification Record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squads		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1960	Runners-up	2nd	2	1	0	1	6	6	Squad		4	2	1	1	9	4
1964	Did not qualify										4	2	1	1	6	5
1968	Runners-up	2nd	3	1	1	1	2	3	Squad		6	4	1	1	14	5
1972	1/4 playoffs										8	3	4	1	7	5
1976	Fourth place	4th	2	0	0	2	4	7	Squad		8	6	1	1	15	5
1980	Did not qualify										6	4	0	2	14	6
1984	Group stage	8th	3	0	0	3	2	10	Squad		6	3	2	1	12	11
1988	Did not qualify										6	4	0	2	13	9
1992	Banned after qualification										8	7	0	1	24	4
Total	Runners-up	4/9	10	2	1	7	14	26	–		56	35	10	11	114	54

*Denotes draws including knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Player Statistics

Most Games Played

Dragan Džajić played the most games for Yugoslavia, with 85 appearances.

These players played the most matches for the Yugoslavia national team:

Top Goal Scorers

Stjepan Bobek is the top goal scorer in Yugoslavia's history with 38 goals.

These players scored the most goals for the Yugoslavia national team:

Notable Players

Many talented players represented Yugoslavia. Here are some of the most famous ones:

Goalkeepers

• 

  Vladimir Beara played 59 matches from 1950 to 1959.

• 

  Milutin Šoškić played 50 matches from 1959 to 1966.

Defenders

• 

  Milutin Ivković played from 1925 to 1934 and was captain in the 1930 FIFA World Cup.

• 

  Milorad Arsenijević played for Yugoslavia from 1927 to 1934.

• 

  Branko Stanković played for Yugoslavia from 1946 to 1956.

• 

  Branko Zebec played from 1951 to 1961 and was captain in the 1958 FIFA World Cup.

• 

  Fahrudin Jusufi played for Yugoslavia from 1959 to 1967.

• 

  Velibor Vasović played for Yugoslavia from 1961 to 1966.

Midfielders

• 

  Aleksandar Tirnanić played in the 1930 FIFA World Cup. He also managed the team from 1953 to 1960.

• 

  Zlatko Čajkovski played 55 matches for the team from 1946 to 1955.

• 

  Bernard Vukas played 59 matches for the team from 1948 to 1957.

• 

  Vujadin Boškov played for the team from 1951 to 1958.

• 

  Dragoslav Šekularac played for the team from 1956 to 1966.

• 

  Dragan Džajić is often seen as the best player in Yugoslavia's history.

• 

  Ilija Petković, a fast right winger, played for the team from 1968 to 1974.

• 

  Vladimir Petrović, a creative midfielder, played for the team from 1973 to 1982.

• 

  Safet Sušić played for the team from 1977 to 1990.

• 

  Dragan Stojković played from 1983 until Yugoslavia broke up.

• 

  Dejan Savićević played for the team from 1986 until Yugoslavia broke up.

Forwards

• 

  Rajko Mitić scored 32 goals in 59 matches between 1946 and 1957.

• 

  Stjepan Bobek is the top goal scorer in the team's history with 38 goals.

• 

  Miloš Milutinović scored 16 goals in 33 matches between 1953 and 1958.

• 

  Bora Kostić scored 26 goals in 33 matches between 1956 and 1964.

• 

  Dražan Jerković was a top goal scorer at the 1962 FIFA World Cup.

• 

  Milan Galić scored 37 goals in 51 matches between 1959 and 1965.

• 

  Josip Skoblar, who won the 1971 European Golden Shoe, scored 11 goals in 32 matches.

• 

  Dušan Bajević scored 29 goals in 37 matches between 1970 and 1977.

• 

  Darko Pančev, 1991 European Golden Shoe winner, played for the team from 1984 until Yugoslavia broke up.

Honours and Awards

The Yugoslavia national football team won many awards and medals during its history.

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 Competitions

• 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 Competitions

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

Summary of Medals

Competition				Total
FIFA World Cup	0	0	0	0
Olympic Games	1	3	1	5
UEFA European Championship	0	2	0	2
Total	1	5	1	7

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Yugoslavia para niños

• List of Yugoslavia international footballers
• List of Yugoslavia national football team goalscorers

Teams from Successor States

After Yugoslavia broke up, several new national football teams were formed:

• Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team
• Croatia national football team
• Slovenia national football team
• North Macedonia national football team
• Serbia and Montenegro national football team (later split into:)
  • Montenegro national football team
  • Serbia national football team
    • Kosovo national football team