Wales stunned everyone by reaching the semi-finals at Euro 2016. Can Gareth Bale and co. emulate their past heroics this time around?
• Manager: Rob Page (Caretaker)
• Current FIFA World Ranking: 17th
• Best European Championship finish: Semi-Finals (2016)
With manager Ryan Giggs out of the equation for now, interim boss Rob Page will lead Wales into Euro 2020. This is what Wales’ 26-man squad looks like.
Goalkeepers: Adam Davies (Stoke City), Wayne Hennessey (Crystal Palace), Danny Ward (Leicester City).
Defenders: Ethan Ampadu (Chelsea), Ben Cabango (Swansea City), Ben Davies (Tottenham), Chris Gunter (Charlton Athletic), Tom Lockyer (Luton Town), Chris Mepham (Bournemouth), Rhys Norrington-Davies (Sheffield United), Connor Roberts (Swansea City), Joe Rodon (Tottenham), Neco Williams (Liverpool).
Midfielders: Joe Allen (Stoke City), David Brooks (Bournemouth), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City), Daniel James (Manchester United), Dylan Levitt (Manchester United), Joe Morrell (Luton Town), Aaron Ramsey (Juventus), Matthew Smith (Manchester City), Jonny Williams (Cardiff City), Harry Wilson (Liverpool).
Forwards: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Kieffer Moore (Cardiff City), Tyler Roberts (Leeds United).
Switzerland are Wales’ first Group A opponents, with the two nations meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, on June 12. Next up, the Welsh face Turkey at the same venue on June 16.
Page’s men cap off their group-stage campaign with a big test against Group A favourties Italy in Rome on June 20.
Gareth Bale: No surprises here! Wales’ squad is full of Premier League stars, but there is absolutely no denying that Bale is the Dragons’ standout player.
𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐄 🎬 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐀𝐋𝐒 🏴 🤩 Sit back and enjoy every @GarethBale11 goal from 2020/21! #THFC ⚪️ #COYS pic.twitter.com/3KfX9W9OXC— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 28, 2021
𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐄 🎬 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐀𝐋𝐒 🏴 🤩 Sit back and enjoy every @GarethBale11 goal from 2020/21! #THFC ⚪️ #COYS pic.twitter.com/3KfX9W9OXC
The Real Madrid forward has netted 33 goals in 91 appearances for his country and bagged 16 goals on loan at Tottenham Hotspur last season.
Wales know what it takes to go deep into a European Championship. Of course, repeating 2016’s achievements won’t be easy. But they will be confident of reaching the last 16.
As well as Bale, players like Aaron Ramsey and Daniel James have the ability to produce game-changing moments – and that is vitally important when it comes to tournament football.