The Wales national football team's only World Cup appearance was in 1958, but they left an impression by drawing all the matches in their group against Hungary, Mexico, and Sweden before defeating the Hungarians in a tiebreaker match to reach the Quarterfinals. There the Welsh lost 1–0 to eventual champions Brazil.
They have only once qualified for the European Championship, last losing in the playoffs for a place in Euro 2004 against Russia. Russia had a player (Egor Titov) test positive for banned drug use after the first qualifying leg, however the sport's governing body decided to take no action against the team other than asking them not to play Titov again.
Former player Mark Hughes served as manager through the 2004 season, but he left to concentrate on his new job as manager of Blackburn Rovers of the English Premiership. John Toshack was appointed manager for the second time on 12 November2004, ten years after he had resigned from the position after one game in charge.
During the Euro 2004 qualifying tournament Wales became the best supported national team in Europe, with an average attendance in excess of 70,000. The FAW's policy of cheaper tickets helped to contribute, but nonetheless it was a remarkable honour for a small nation, with little international success, and where football is arguably not even the national sport, as rugby union is perhaps more ingrained in the Welsh national sporting consciousness.
Stadium
Wales play their home matches at the Millennium Stadium. Prior to its construction they generally played at the grounds of Cardiff City F.C., Swansea City F.C. and Wrexham F.C. In recent seasons several matches have been played away from the Millennium stadium, in Swansea and Wrexham but thus far these have all been friendly matches due to lack of capacity.
John Toshack, (2004-)
Scotland 4 - 0 Wales 
Blackburn Rovers
Veronaon loan to Wolverhampton Wanderers,
