Qualification and build-up

Disappointing results against European teams prompted a change of approach by the

FAW who appointed Manchester United coach Jimmy Murphy as manager in 1956. His
start was inauspicious, with draws against Northern Ireland and Scotland before a
3–1 defeat to England in a match where Wales finished with nine players due to
injuries. The British Home Championship was dropped as a qualifying format for the
1958 FIFA World Cup and replaced by randomly drawn qualifying groups. Wales were
placed alongside Czechoslovakia and East Germany and started positively by
defeating Czechoslovakia 1–0 in their first fixture, via a goal by Roy Vernon.
Wales travelled to East Germany for their second game with a squad of only 12
players. John Charles was highly critical of the FAW's reluctance to travel with
more than a bare minimum of players, later writing "There were more selectors than
players. It was crazy. You've got to put the players first but with Wales it was
the selectors first and the players second."[95] Wales eventually suffered a 2–1
defeat to the largely amateur East Germans in the nation's first competitive
fixture.[95]

The squad continued to Czechoslovakia but had lost three players to illness and
injury. The FAW were still reluctant to call-up replacements and only an outcry
from the press prompted Ray Daniel and Des Palmer to join up with the side.
Nevertheless, Wales lost the match 2–0 which made qualification unobtainable. In
the final group match, Palmer scored a hat-trick to defeat East Germany 4–1.[95]
[96] A second opportunity at qualification emerged in December 1957 as the volatile
political situation in Israel led to Turkey, Indonesia and Sudan withdrawing from
matches against the nation for varying reasons. FIFA rules decreed that no team
could qualify for a World Cup without playing a match, and so a play-off against a
European qualifying group runner-up was arranged. Belgium was drawn first but also
refused to play Israel leading to a second draw in which Wales were selected. The
FAW accepted the offer and Wales travelled to Tel Aviv for the first leg, winning
2–0 after goals from Ivor Allchurch and Dave Bowen.[97][98] The result was the
first time Wales had won an international fixture outside Britain.[99] Allchurch
scored again in the second leg and a further goal from Cliff Jones secured Wales'
first qualification to a major international tournament.[97][100]

In the group stage of the tournament, Wales were drawn alongside Mexico, Hungary
and hosts Sweden. The side's preparations for the tournament were hampered by
confusion over the availability of John Charles; having failed to qualify, the
Italian Football Federation had instead organised a club tournament featuring
Charles' side Juventus who were reluctant to release the player. Wales manager
Jimmy Murphy prepared his team to play without Charles, but the player eventually
secured his release and arrived in Sweden only three days before the start of the
competition.[101] The side was further weakened by the omission of Trevor Ford, the
nation's record goalscorer. He had been banned from playing in Britain in 1956
after he revealed an illegal payments scandal in club football in his
autobiography. Despite continuing to play abroad, he was overlooked for selection.
[102] Derek Tapscott had also fallen out with the FAW while Des Palmer missed out
due to injury, leading to Colin Webster being selected in their stead.[103] Wales
played a single warm-up match before the tournament, defeating local amateur side
Saltsjöbaden 19–0.[101][104]