List of Wales international footballers

The Wales national football team has represented Wales in international association football since 1876, making it the third oldest international football team. They played their first official match on 25 March 1876,[1] four years after England and Scotland played the first ever international football match. They are governed by the Football Association of Wales and compete as a member of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), which predominantly encompasses the countries of Europe. As of October 2023, Wales have played 706 international matches since their debut, winning 225, drawing 156 and losing 325.[2] They have played over 100 fixtures against England and Scotland,[3] regularly competing against both in the British Home Championship between 1884 and 1984, winning the competition on twelve occasions. In global and continental competitions, Wales have qualified for two FIFA World Cups in 1958 and 2022, reaching the quarter-finals in the former, and two UEFA European Championships in 2016 and 2020 in their history, reaching the semi-finals in the former.[4]

A football team line-up with four players standing behind seven kneeling players.
The Wales national football team pose for a team photo prior to a match in 2016.

Wales were the last side from the Home Nations without a player reaching 100 caps.[5] Gareth Bale is Wales most capped player with 111 caps. Chris Gunter became the first player to earn 100 Wales caps, reaching the tally on 27 March 2021 in a friendly against Mexico.[6] Players who reach 50 appearances for Wales are awarded a golden cap.[5] Bale also holds the record for the most goals scored for Wales having scored 41 goals, overtaking Ian Rush's record in March 2018.[7]

Billy Meredith was the first Welsh player to reach 25 caps and went on to accumulate 48 caps in his career and score eleven goals,[8] both Welsh records at the time.[9] His appearance record stood for 42 years until it was beaten by Ivor Allchurch in 1962,[10] who finished his career with 68 caps.[11] Defender Joey Jones set a new record in the 1980s, amassing 72 caps,[12] before his record was overtaken by Peter Nicholas in 1991 by a single cap. On 23 May 1994, Neville Southall played in a 2–1 victory over Estonia to earn his 74th cap and overtake Nicholas,[13] eventually gaining 92 caps before retiring.[14] Gunter surpassed Southall's cap record on 20 November 2018 against Albania,[15] before he himself was overtaken when Bale made his 110th Wales appearance in their 2022 FIFA World Cup Group B match against Iran on 25 November 2022.[16]

List of players

As of 28 March 2024
Key
*
Still active for the national team[a]
GKGoalkeeper
DFDefender
MFMidfielder
FWForward

Caps and goals sourced from:[14][17][18][19]

Gareth Bale is Wales' top goalscorer of all-time with 41 goals and record cap holder.
Chris Gunter was the first player to attain 100 caps for Wales.
Gary Speed gained 85 caps for Wales and managed the side between 2010 and 2011.
John Toshack gained 40 caps for Wales and managed the side for a single match in 1994 and between 2004 and 2010.
Wales national team footballers with at least 25 appearances
#NamePositionNational team
career
CapsGoalsOther roles
1Gareth BaleFW2006–202211141
2=Chris GunterDF2007–20221090
Wayne Hennessey*GK2007–20231090
4Neville SouthallGK1982–1997920
5=Ben Davies*DF2012–2024862
Ashley WilliamsDF2008–2019862
7Gary SpeedMF1990–2004857Manager[20]
8Aaron Ramsey*MF2008–20238421
9Craig BellamyFW1998–20137819
10Joe LedleyMF2006–2018774
11Dean SaundersFW1986–20017522
12Joe AllenMF2009–2022742
13=Peter NicholasMF1979–1991732
Ian RushFW1980–19967328
15=Mark HughesFW1984–19997216Manager[20]
Joey JonesDF1975–1986721
17Ivor AllchurchFW1950–19666823
18Brian FlynnMF1974–1984667Manager[b]
19Andy MelvilleDF1989–2004653
20=Ryan GiggsMF1991–20076412Manager[21]
Sam Vokes*FW2008–20196411
22David PhillipsMF1984–1996622
23=Barry HorneMF1987–1997592
Cliff JonesMF1954–19695916
Kevin RatcliffeDF1980–1993590
Terry YorathMF1969–1981592Manager[20]
27=Simon DaviesMF2001–2010586
Robert EarnshawFW2002–20125816
Leighton PhillipsDF1971–1981580
30Connor Roberts*DF2018–2024553
31=Leighton JamesMF1971–19885410
Mark PembridgeMF1991–2003546
Harry Wilson*MF2013–2024548
34=Dai DaviesGK1975–1982520
Sam RickettsDF2005–2014520
Carl RobinsonMF1999–2009521
37=Ethan Ampadu*MF2017–2024510
James CollinsDF2004–2016513
John HartsonFW1995–20055114
Daniel James*MF2018–2024517
John MahoneyMF1967–1983511
Mickey ThomasMF1977–1986514
43=Paul JonesGK1997–2006500
Andy King*MF2009–2018502
Rod ThomasMF1967–1977500
46Danny GabbidonDF2002–2014490
47Billy MeredithFW1895–19204811
48Robbie JamesMF1979–1988477
49=Chris Mepham*DF2018–2024460
Hal Robson-Kanu*FW2010–2021465
51=Mike EnglandDF1962–1975444Manager[20]
Joe Rodon*DF2019–2024440
53=David EdwardsMF2007–2017433
Neil TaylorDF2010–2019431
Stuart WilliamsDF1954–1965430
56David VaughanMF2003–2016421
57=Mark BowenDF1986–1997413
Jack KelseyGK1954–1962410
Kieffer Moore*FW2019–20244112
Rob PageDF1999–2005410Manager[20]
Alf SherwoodDF1947–1957410
62=Peter RodriguesDF1965–1974400
John ToshackFW1969–19804013Manager[20]
Danny Ward*GK2016–2024400
65=Mark AizlewoodDF1986–1995390
Clayton BlackmoreMF1985–1997391
Terry HennesseyDF1962–1973390
Ronnie ReesMF1965–1972393
Robbie SavageMF1995–2004392
70=John CharlesFW1950–19653815
Simon ChurchFW2009–2016383
Trevor FordFW1947–19573823
Neco Williams*DF2020–2024384
74=Joe Morrell*MF2019–2023370
Gary SprakeGK1964–1975370
Kit SymonsDF1992–2004372
77=Mark DelaneyDF1999–2006360
Carl FletcherMF2004–2009361
79=James Chester*DF2014–2018350
Alan CurtisMF1976–1987356
81=Wyn DaviesFW1964–1974346
Mel HopkinsDF1956–1963340
Jason KoumasMF2001–20093410
Lewin NyatangaDF2006–2011340
85=Roy PaulDF1949–1956331
Jonny WilliamsMF2013–2022332
87=Ron BurgessMF1947–1954321Manager[c]
Chris ColemanDF1992–2002324Manager[20]
Fred KeenorDF1920–1932322
Roy VernonFW1957–1968328
91=Mel CharlesDF1955–1963316
Kenny JackettMF1983–1988310
93=Barrie HoleMF1963–1971300
Terry MedwinFW1953–1963306
John RobinsonMF1995–2002303
96=David Brooks*FW2017–2024294
Nathan BlakeFW1994–2003294
Andrew CroftsMF2005–2017290
Ron DaviesFW1964–1974298
Gil ReeceMF1965–1975292
101=Malcolm PageDF1971–1979290
102=Alan DurbanFW1966–1972272
Billy LewisFW1885–1898278
Charlie MorrisDF1900–1911270
105=Brennan Johnson*FW2020–2024263
Graham WilliamsDF1960–1968261
107Paul PriceDF1980–1984251

Notes

References