00:00Now, the rise of the Wales women's national team has been a remarkable journey with steady
00:07progress propelling them onto the international stage. In recent years, they've achieved significant
00:13milestones from improving their World Cup qualifications to consistently competing at
00:18the highest levels of European football. Under the leadership of their dedicated coaching
00:24staff, the team has developed a strong core of talent, bringing experienced players with
00:29rising stars. We spoke about their growth, which has not only elevated the profile of
00:34women's football in Wales, but also inspired future generations of players to follow in
00:39their footsteps.
00:40Looking at the Wales women's national football team, well, they actually got a really good
00:49draw in their most recent outing against Sweden, one of the world's best teams in women's football,
00:54and what it finished there. And obviously, we could talk for ages about the Lionesses
01:00in English football and what they have done for the English women's game. If you look
01:03at the Wales game, yes, it's perhaps not quite as advanced or quite the same stage as England
01:09is, but certainly getting a draw against a team of that calibre stands them in good stead
01:13for the future and to what they can become, because of course, they've seen the men go
01:18from international minnows to a side who are regularly competing to qualify for major
01:24tournaments. And yes, the men's game is different, but it shows it can be done for a nation with
01:29only a small population like Wales do. So looking at that result, obviously in isolation,
01:36it's great, but what does it mean just in general for Welsh women's football?
01:40Yeah, as you say, it's massive. And I think, you know, you compare it to the Lionesses
01:45and their sort of journey to the very, very top of women's football, you know, really
01:51competing at the top. I mean, Wales with the smaller talent pool that it has, they're probably
01:56ahead of the Lionesses if you think about it in that sort of sense. You know, the Lionesses
02:00have so many top WSL teams to choose from. These players they've produced from the likes
02:06of, you know, Arsenal, Man United, these are the real top women's sides. Chelsea as well,
02:12so many league titles. In terms of Wales football, it's huge. It's something that the Welsh FA have
02:19sort of rejigged over the last few years to really get the best out of them. You know,
02:23firstly grassroots and secondly, the women's game. And I think these are two things that
02:28they're really working on getting to the very, very top. You know, Rhian Wilkinson has done a
02:33great job. I mean, the qualifying stage to get to their first ever European Championships was
02:38incredible. So much drama, so much quality. And, you know, they've got to look forward to it. They
02:44are in a real tough group, it has to be said. You know, England, Netherlands, France, top sides in
02:51the group stages. So we'll see how they come out. But, you know, they are no longer seen as
02:57underdogs. They are a team real capable of making an impact at the very top. And I think, you know,
03:03the confidence is there and, you know, you have to give credit to Wilkinson. Will they be found out?
03:08That's obviously yet to be seen, whether they get to the major stage and they crumble a bit
03:12like the men's side may have done, you know, in the past couple of years, the past couple of
03:17tournaments, you know, sort of underwhelmed a little bit, you'd say, from the men's perspective.
03:22The women want to prove that wrong. They want to go, you know, one more. And as you say,
03:26Sweden, you know, World Cup semifinals in 2023. So they are one of the best sides
03:34in the world. As I say, the confidence, the belief behind her group of girls is unbelievable.
03:39They, you know, she believes they can compete constantly against the world's best teams. So,
03:43yes, it's all to be seen in the summer, you know, at the Euros. But the attitude reflects a real
03:49shift in the mindset of Wales and the Welsh team as well. And you look as far as Craig
03:54Bellamy for the men's team and the sort of confidence he has and the aspects and aspirations
04:00he has for his Wales men's team. So I think as a whole, as a bigger picture, the Welsh FA is
04:08really improving the confidence, the belief, the ambitions is going up a notch. And it's really
04:15exciting if you're following football in terms of Wales and these players coming into these
04:21major tournaments. So, as I say, all to be seen in the summer. Here's what Rhiann Wilkinson had
04:27to say about her side. And, you know, as I say, she expresses so much confidence and it's great
04:33to see. So we'll see what she has to say. And, you know, obviously coming into the Euros in the
04:39summer, it's a real promising time to be following Wales.
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