United Kingdom national football team
Encyclopedia
No United Kingdom national football team currently exists, as there are separate teams representing England
, Scotland
, Wales
and Northern Ireland
in football. These national teams compete in the World Cup
and European Championships
and other internationals. A UK team has played in friendly matches, though never in a full FIFA
international and not since 1947. The UK has also competed in the football tournament of the Olympic Games
, where it is represented by the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team
.
(FA), was formed in 1863, its geographical remit was not clear: there was no specification of whether it covered just England, the entire UK or even the entire world. The question was answered when the Scottish Football Association
(SFA) was founded in 1873. The third national football association, the Football Association of Wales
was founded in 1876 and a fourth, the Irish Football Association
, (IFA), was founded in 1880.
Football therefore developed with separate associations and national teams for each of the countries of the United Kingdom
and no 'United Kingdom football association' was ever formed. Representative international matches between England and Scotland were played as far back as 1872
, before the sport spread to other parts of the world, but none of the Home Nations
took part in a World Cup
until 1950
because they had withdrawn from FIFA
over disputes regarding payments to amateur players and did not rejoin until 1946.
England have been the only team to have any major success internationally, winning the 1966 World Cup
. Scotland have never progressed beyond the group stage of any international tournament, despite competing in final tournaments of eight World Cups and two European Championships
. Northern Ireland have not qualified for a finals tournament since 1986
, and Wales since 1958
. This is sometimes raised as an argument in favour of a single United Kingdom national team: based on statistical analysis of recent matches, it has been estimated that a United Kingdom national team would have had a one-third greater chance of winning the 2006 World Cup
than England did at the tournament's outset. Opponents of the plan argue that the existing footballing identities of the fans of the Home Nations should not be sacrificed simply to stand a better chance of success.
There has been limited support for the creation of a permanent British national team. Although often hypothetical in nature, such a proposal has been put forward by prominent government ministers, including Jack Straw
and Tony Banks
.
Despite this, the Home Nations have previously united to play two friendly internationals against 'Rest of Europe' representative sides. On both occasions, they included all four Home Nations: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Despite Northern Ireland's participation, both matches were played under the name of 'Great Britain'.
, which they had left in 1920. For the match, played at Scotland's Hampden Park in front of 135,000 spectators, the Great Britain side wore a navy blue strip in honour of the host association. The gate receipts, totalling £35,000, helped boost the finances of FIFA, which had been damaged by the lack of competition during World War II
. On that occasion, the Great Britain team consisted of:
's seventy-fifth anniversary. For this reason, the match was held at Belfast's Windsor Park
, and the British team took to the field wearing Northern Ireland's green strip. The Great Britain team fielded comprised:
. The second match, in 1969, commemorated the investiture
of the Prince of Wales
. In both cases, the England, Scotland and Northern Ireland select team played under the name of 'Rest of the United Kingdom'.
There was also a match played at Wembley in 1973 to commemorate the entry of the United Kingdom, Ireland
and Denmark into the European Economic Community
. This match, called "The Three" v "The Six", involved a select team from those three countries playing against a selection of players from the original six members
of the EEC: West Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg
, France and Italy. Ten of the thirteen players used by "The Three" were from the United Kingdom, with only Johnny Giles
and two Danish players representing the other two countries. Henning Jensen
and Colin Stein
scored as The Three won 2–0.
A Great British team lined up against another Rest of Europe XI in 1965 for Stanley Matthews
' testimonial. Europe won 6–4.
to the 1972 Summer Olympics
, and again for the 2012 Summer Olympics
, the UK has competed in either the Olympic football tournament
or its qualifying competition. During the first tournament, played as a demonstration sport
at the 1900 Summer Olympics
but retrospectively accredited by the IOC, Upton Park F.C.
represented the UK and won gold. Following this Great Britain won gold medals at the 1908
and 1912 Games
. All 'Great Britain' Olympic football teams were organised by The Football Association
with the acquiescence of the other Home Nations' FAs, and after The Football Association scrapped the distinction between professional
and amateur
players in 1974, no more British Olympic teams were entered. The team is due to be reformed for the 2012 Summer Olympics
in London
, though will possibly consist of only English players following agreement between the four Associations in May 2009.
, the United Kingdom Team won two medal
s: a silver
medal in 2011
and a bronze
medal in 1991.
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
, Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
in football. These national teams compete in the World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
and European Championships
UEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
and other internationals. A UK team has played in friendly matches, though never in a full FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
international and not since 1947. The UK has also competed in the football tournament of the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, where it is represented by the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team
Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team
The Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team represents Great Britain and Northern Ireland in international football competitions in the Olympic Games. The selection is limited to players under the age of 23, except three overage players...
.
Background
When the world's first football association, The Football AssociationThe Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
(FA), was formed in 1863, its geographical remit was not clear: there was no specification of whether it covered just England, the entire UK or even the entire world. The question was answered when the Scottish Football Association
Scottish Football Association
The Scottish Football Association is the governing body of football in Scotland and has the ultimate responsibility for the control and development of football in Scotland. Members of the SFA include clubs in Scotland, affiliated national associations as well as local associations...
(SFA) was founded in 1873. The third national football association, the Football Association of Wales
Football Association of Wales
The Football Association of Wales is the governing body of association football in Wales. It is a member of FIFA, UEFA and the IFAB.Established in 1876 , it is the third-oldest national association in the world, and is one of the four associations The Football Association of Wales (FAW) is the...
was founded in 1876 and a fourth, the Irish Football Association
Irish Football Association
The Irish Football Association is the organising body for association football in Northern Ireland, and was historically the governing body for Ireland...
, (IFA), was founded in 1880.
Football therefore developed with separate associations and national teams for each of the countries of the United Kingdom
Countries of the United Kingdom
Countries of the United Kingdom is a term used to describe England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. These four countries together form the sovereign state of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which is also described as a country. The alternative terms, constituent...
and no 'United Kingdom football association' was ever formed. Representative international matches between England and Scotland were played as far back as 1872
Scotland v England (1872)
Scotland v England was the first ever official international football match to be played. It was contested by the national teams of Scotland and England. The match took place on 30 November 1872 at West of Scotland Cricket Club's ground at Hamilton Crescent in Partick, Scotland...
, before the sport spread to other parts of the world, but none of the Home Nations
Home Nations
Home Nations is a collective term with one of two meanings depending on the context. Politically, it means the nations of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom...
took part in a World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
until 1950
1950 FIFA World Cup
The 1950 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July, was the fourth FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup since 1938, the planned 1942 and 1946 competitions having been canceled owing to World War II...
because they had withdrawn from FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
over disputes regarding payments to amateur players and did not rejoin until 1946.
England have been the only team to have any major success internationally, winning the 1966 World Cup
1966 FIFA World Cup
The 1966 FIFA World Cup, the eighth staging of the World Cup, was held in England from 11 July to 30 July. England beat West Germany 4–2 in the final, winning the World Cup for the first time, so becoming the first host to win the tournament since Italy in 1934.-Host selection:England was chosen as...
. Scotland have never progressed beyond the group stage of any international tournament, despite competing in final tournaments of eight World Cups and two European Championships
UEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
. Northern Ireland have not qualified for a finals tournament since 1986
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
, and Wales since 1958
1958 FIFA World Cup
The 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European...
. This is sometimes raised as an argument in favour of a single United Kingdom national team: based on statistical analysis of recent matches, it has been estimated that a United Kingdom national team would have had a one-third greater chance of winning the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
than England did at the tournament's outset. Opponents of the plan argue that the existing footballing identities of the fans of the Home Nations should not be sacrificed simply to stand a better chance of success.
There has been limited support for the creation of a permanent British national team. Although often hypothetical in nature, such a proposal has been put forward by prominent government ministers, including Jack Straw
Jack Straw
Jack Straw , British politician.Jack Straw may also refer to:* Jack Straw , English* "Jack Straw" , 1971 song by the Grateful Dead* Jack Straw by W...
and Tony Banks
Tony Banks, Baron Stratford
Anthony Louis Banks, Baron Stratford was a British Labour Party politician, who was a Member of Parliament from 1983 to 2005, before being made a Member of the House of Lords. In government, he served for two years as Minister for Sport...
.
Matches
| The kits worn in the two past matches: • Scotland's blue in 1947. • Northern Ireland's green in 1955. |
Despite this, the Home Nations have previously united to play two friendly internationals against 'Rest of Europe' representative sides. On both occasions, they included all four Home Nations: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Despite Northern Ireland's participation, both matches were played under the name of 'Great Britain'.
- 10 May 1947; Hampden ParkHampden ParkHampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
, GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
: Great Britain 6–1 Rest of Europe - 13 August 1955; Windsor ParkWindsor ParkWindsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:...
, BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
: Great Britain 1–4 Rest of Europe
1947: the Match of the Century
The 1947 game, dubbed the 'Match of the Century', was played to celebrate the return of the Home Nations to FIFAFIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
, which they had left in 1920. For the match, played at Scotland's Hampden Park in front of 135,000 spectators, the Great Britain side wore a navy blue strip in honour of the host association. The gate receipts, totalling £35,000, helped boost the finances of FIFA, which had been damaged by the lack of competition during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. On that occasion, the Great Britain team consisted of:
- Frank SwiftFrank SwiftFrank Victor Swift was an English footballer, who played as a goalkeeper for Manchester City and England. After starting his career with local clubs near his home town of Blackpool, in 1932 he was signed by First Division Manchester City, with whom he played his entire professional career.Swift...
(England), George HardwickGeorge HardwickGeorge Hardwick was an English football player and coach. During his time as an active player, he played left defender for Middlesbrough...
(England), Billy HughesBilly Hughes (footballer born 1918)William Marshall "Billy" Hughes was a Welsh professional footballer who played as a left-back. He made 169 appearances in the First Division for Birmingham and Chelsea...
(Wales), Archie MacaulayArchie MacaulayArchibald Renwick "Archie" Macaulay was a Scottish football player and manager.-Playing career:Born in Falkirk, Macaulay started his playing career with Rangers, where he became a regular at the age of only 18. Playing as an inside right, he won a Scottish Cup medal in 1935-36 and a Scottish...
(Scotland), Jackie VernonJackie Vernon (footballer)John Joseph Vernon also referred to as Jackie Vernon, is a former Irish footballer who played for, amongst others, Belfast Celtic and West Bromwich Albion. Vernon was a dual international and played for both Ireland teams - the IFA XI and the FAI XI...
(Ireland), Ron BurgessRon Burgess (footballer)William Arthur Ronald Burgess Burgess was a Wales international footballer, who played at wing-half. Burgess worked as a miner before joining Tottenham Hotspur from his local team Cwm Villa...
(Wales), Stanley MatthewsStanley MatthewsSir Stanley Matthews, CBE was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the English game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers'...
(England), Wilf MannionWilf MannionWilfred James Mannion was an English professional footballer who played as an inside forward, making over 350 senior appearances for Middlesbrough. He also played international football for England...
(England), Tommy LawtonTommy LawtonThomas "Tommy" Lawton was an English association footballer who rose to fame a short time before the outbreak of the Second World War and enjoyed a successful career which lasted until well into the 1950s....
(England), Billy SteelBilly SteelBilly Steel was a Scottish footballer who played for St. Mirren, Morton, Derby County, Dundee and the Scotland national team....
(Scotland), Billy LiddellBilly LiddellWilliam Beveridge "Billy" Liddell was a Scottish footballer, who played his entire professional career with Liverpool. He signed with the club as a teenager in 1938 and retired in 1961, having scored 228 goals in 534 appearances...
(Scotland).
-
- Goals: UK 1-0 ROE, Mannion 22nd minute; 1-1 NordahlGunnar NordahlGunnar Nordahl was a Swedish football player, best known for his play in AC Milan 1949-1956.-Sweden:...
24; 2-1 Mannion 33 pen.; 3-1 Steel 35; 4-1 Lawton 37; 5-1 ParolaCarlo ParolaCarlo Parola , was an Italian football player and coach, from Turin. He is most famous for his time with Juventus with whom he played over 300 games with, he also had brief spells with Lazio and Midland in Argentina before going into management.He is also famous for being the author of one of the...
74 o.g.Own goalAn own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....
; 6-1 Lawton 82.
- Goals: UK 1-0 ROE, Mannion 22nd minute; 1-1 Nordahl
1955: Irish FA's anniversary
The 1955 game was played to celebrate the Irish Football AssociationIrish Football Association
The Irish Football Association is the organising body for association football in Northern Ireland, and was historically the governing body for Ireland...
's seventy-fifth anniversary. For this reason, the match was held at Belfast's Windsor Park
Windsor Park
Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:...
, and the British team took to the field wearing Northern Ireland's green strip. The Great Britain team fielded comprised:
- Jack KelseyJack KelseyAlfred John "Jack" Kelsey was a Welsh international football goalkeeper, who also played for Arsenal. He is regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers to play for Wales.- Early career :...
(Wales), Peter SillettPeter SillettPeter Richard Tudor Sillett was an England footballer. He played for Chelsea and Southampton as a right-back, and made three appearances for England....
(England), Joe McDonaldJoe McDonald (footballer)Joe McDonald was a Scottish footballer who played for Sunderland and the Scotland national football team. He was born in Blantyre, Scotland.-Club career:...
(Scotland), Danny BlanchflowerDanny BlanchflowerRobert Dennis "Danny" Blanchflower was a former Northern Ireland international footballer and football manager, and journalist who captained Tottenham Hotspur F.C. during its double-winning season of 1961. He was ranked as the greatest player in Spurs history by The Times in 2009...
(Northern Ireland), John CharlesJohn CharlesWilliam John Charles, CBE , commonly known as John Charles, was a Welsh international footballer best remembered for spells with Leeds United and Juventus. Rated by many as the greatest all-round footballer ever to come from Wales, he was equally adept at centre-forward or centre-back...
(Wales), Bertie PeacockBertie PeacockJohn Robert "Bertie" Peacock, MBE was a Northern Ireland international footballer and manager who played for Celtic....
(Northern Ireland), Stanley MatthewsStanley MatthewsSir Stanley Matthews, CBE was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the English game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers'...
(England), Bobby JohnstoneBobby JohnstoneRobert "Bobby" Johnstone was a Scottish association football player, mainly remembered as one of the Famous Five forward line of Hibernian....
(Scotland), Roy BentleyRoy BentleyRoy Thomas Frank Bentley is a retired English football player who played most notably for Chelsea and the England national side. He later became a manager...
(England), Jimmy McIlroyJimmy McIlroyJames "Jimmy" McIlroy MBE is a former football player, regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of Burnley Football Club.-At Burnley:...
(Northern Ireland), Billy LiddellBilly LiddellWilliam Beveridge "Billy" Liddell was a Scottish footballer, who played his entire professional career with Liverpool. He signed with the club as a teenager in 1938 and retired in 1961, having scored 228 goals in 534 appearances...
(Scotland).
Other matches
Two other games were played between Wales and a team representing the rest of the United Kingdom, with players from England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The first match, in 1951, commemorated the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Football Association of WalesFootball Association of Wales
The Football Association of Wales is the governing body of association football in Wales. It is a member of FIFA, UEFA and the IFAB.Established in 1876 , it is the third-oldest national association in the world, and is one of the four associations The Football Association of Wales (FAW) is the...
. The second match, in 1969, commemorated the investiture
Investiture
Investiture, from the Latin is a rather general term for the formal installation of an incumbent...
of the Prince of Wales
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
. In both cases, the England, Scotland and Northern Ireland select team played under the name of 'Rest of the United Kingdom'.
- 3 December 1951; Ninian ParkNinian ParkNinian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
, CardiffCardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
: Wales 3–2 Rest of the United Kingdom - 21 July 1969; Ninian ParkNinian ParkNinian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
, CardiffCardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
: Wales 0–1 Rest of the United Kingdom
There was also a match played at Wembley in 1973 to commemorate the entry of the United Kingdom, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and Denmark into the European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
. This match, called "The Three" v "The Six", involved a select team from those three countries playing against a selection of players from the original six members
Inner Six
The Inner Six, or simply The Six, are the six founding member states of the European Communities. This was in contrast to the outer seven who formed the European Free Trade Association rather than be involved in supranational European integration .-History:The inner six are those who responded to...
of the EEC: West Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, France and Italy. Ten of the thirteen players used by "The Three" were from the United Kingdom, with only Johnny Giles
Johnny Giles
Michael John "Johnny" Giles is a former association footballer and manager best remembered for his time as a midfielder with Leeds United in the 1960s and 1970s...
and two Danish players representing the other two countries. Henning Jensen
Henning Jensen
Henning Jensen is a Danish former football player, who played professionally for German club Borussia Mönchengladbach, Spanish club Real Madrid and Dutch club Ajax Amsterdam where he won the domestic league championship in each country...
and Colin Stein
Colin Stein
Colin Stein is a former Scottish football player.-Career:Stein began his career with Armadale Thistle, and went on to play for Hibernian, Rangers and the Scottish national team during the 1960s and 1970s. He also had a spell in England with Coventry City...
scored as The Three won 2–0.
A Great British team lined up against another Rest of Europe XI in 1965 for Stanley Matthews
Stanley Matthews
Sir Stanley Matthews, CBE was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the English game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers'...
' testimonial. Europe won 6–4.
Olympic team
From the 1904 Summer Olympics1904 Summer Olympics
The 1904 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the III Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States from 1 July 1904, to November 23, 1904, at what is now known as Francis Field on the campus of Washington University...
to the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
, and again for the 2012 Summer Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
, the UK has competed in either the Olympic football tournament
Football at the Summer Olympics
Association football, usually known simply as football or soccer, has been included in every Olympiad except 1896 and 1932 as a men's competition sport. Women's football was added to the official programme in 1996.-Early history:...
or its qualifying competition. During the first tournament, played as a demonstration sport
Demonstration sport
A demonstration sport is a sport which is played to promote itself, most commonly during the Olympic Games, but also at other sporting events.Demonstration sports were officially introduced in 1912 Summer Olympics, when Sweden decided to include glima, traditional Icelandic wrestling, in the...
at the 1900 Summer Olympics
1900 Summer Olympics
The 1900 Summer Olympics, today officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1900 in Paris, France. No opening or closing ceremonies were held; competitions began on May 14 and ended on October 28. The Games were held as part of...
but retrospectively accredited by the IOC, Upton Park F.C.
Upton Park F.C.
Upton Park Football Club were an amateur football club from Upton Park, London in the late 19th and early 20th century, now defunct. As well as being one of the fifteen teams that played in the inaugural FA Cup, they also represented Great Britain at the 1900 Summer Olympics football tournament,...
represented the UK and won gold. Following this Great Britain won gold medals at the 1908
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
and 1912 Games
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
. All 'Great Britain' Olympic football teams were organised by The Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
with the acquiescence of the other Home Nations' FAs, and after The Football Association scrapped the distinction between professional
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
and amateur
Amateur sports
Amateur sports are sports in which participants engage largely or entirely without remuneration. Sporting amateurism was a zealously guarded ideal in the 19th century, especially among the upper classes, but faced steady erosion throughout the 20th century with the continuing growth of pro sports...
players in 1974, no more British Olympic teams were entered. The team is due to be reformed for the 2012 Summer Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, though will possibly consist of only English players following agreement between the four Associations in May 2009.
Universiade team
At the UniversiadeUniversiade
The Universiade is an International multi-sport event, organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation . The name is a combination of the words "University" and "olympiad"...
, the United Kingdom Team won two medal
Medal
A medal, or medallion, is generally a circular object that has been sculpted, molded, cast, struck, stamped, or some way rendered with an insignia, portrait, or other artistic rendering. A medal may be awarded to a person or organization as a form of recognition for athletic, military, scientific,...
s: a silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
medal in 2011
Football at the 2011 Summer Universiade
Football at the 2011 Summer Universiade will be held at six venues in Shenzhen, China from 11 August to 22 August.-Medal table:-Events:-References:...
and a bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
medal in 1991.