Victory International

The term Victory International or Victory Internationals refers to two series of international football matches played by the national football teams of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales at the end of both the First and Second World Wars. The matches were organised to celebrate the Victory of the Allied Powers in both wars. The term specifically refers to those matches played after the conflicts were over, making them distinct from the wartime internationals which were played during the course of the wars.

Among the games regarded as Victory Internationals were those played as part of the 1945–46 British Victory Home Championship. The 1945–46 season also saw England play Victory internationals against France, Switzerland and Belgium. Scotland also played the latter two national teams. The status of these internationals is open to debate. England, Ireland and Wales do not recognize any of these games as full internationals. Scotland, however, does list the games against Belgium and Switzerland as full internationals. Similarly, Belgium, Switzerland and France all regard their Victory Internationals as full internationals.[1][2][3][4]

World War I matches (1919)

Scotland 2–1 Ireland
Andrew Wilson 2 Billy Halligan
Ibrox Park

Ireland 0–0 Scotland
Windsor Park, Belfast

England 2–2 Scotland
Robert Turnbull
Sydney Puddefoot
John Stewart Wright
James Bowie



England 2–0 Wales
Bob Whittingham
Joe Smith

World War II matches (1945–46)

Ireland 0–1 England
  Stan Mortensen

England 0–1 Wales
  Aubrey Powell

Scotland 2–0 Wales
William Waddell
Jock Dodds
 



Ireland 2–3 Scotland
Davy Walsh 2 Billy Liddell 2
George Hamilton


Wales 0–1 Ireland
  Paddy Sloan



See also

References

  1. ^ England – War-Time/Victory Internationals
  2. ^ France – List of International Matches
  3. ^ Scotland – International Matches 1946–1950
  4. ^ Northern Ireland's Footballing Greats
  5. ^ Association Football. | Ireland v. Scotland, The Glasgow Herald, 21 April 1919