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Soccer
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The Football Association of Wales was formed in 1876 by a solicitor from Wrexham after Scotland had challenged Wales to an international match.
The Welsh national team had a poor start – they were defeated 4-0 by Scotland and it was three years before the team scored its first international goal.
The north-east was a stronghold for soccer in Wales in the late 19th century. Wrexham Athletic Football Club was formed in 1872 and most of the national team in the early years came from that region. It was Wrexham who won the first Welsh Cup in 1877-78.
Wales finally tasted success in 1907, winning the home championship for the first time under the leadership of Billy Meredith.
By the early twentieth century, the increasing popularity of soccer led to the formation of two professional clubs in south Wales. Cardiff City Football Club was formed in 1910 and Swansea City Football Club in 1912.
However, it was not until 1957 that the Welsh national team finally qualified to compete for the highest accolade in international football at the 1958 World Cup
finals.
Sources
Martin Johnes, A History of Sport in Wales (Cardiff, 2005)
The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales, (Cardiff, 2008)
