After years of near misses and abject failure, we’ve grown almost accustomed to a famous night in Welsh football™. And here we are once again, making history. But this time, it’s different. This time feels more significant than anything that’s come before.
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Until 2016, the men’s international team had long been defined by failure and the constant struggle for relevance. But that struggle pales in comparison to what the women’s team has endured on their remarkable journey to Euro 2025.
You can’t talk about the enormity of Saturday’s tournament debut against the Dutch in Lucerne without considering the wider context. Like the women’s game globally, Wales has faced its share of obstacles. The FAW, following the lead of the English FA, banned women’s football in the early 20th century, a ban that wasn’t lifted until 1970. Even then, it took another 23 years for Wales to form its first ‘official’ national team. Since then, it’s been a relentless battle for access to facilities, kit, media coverage, medical support, and, simply, recognition.
Zaid Djerdi
Few understand that struggle more than Laura McAllister, current Vice President of UEFA and former Wales captain. Alongside former teammates Michelle Adams and Karen Jones, Laura successfully lobbied the FAW to formally recognise the Wales women’s national team, which had been competing in unofficial tournaments sporadically since the lifting of the ban. She is, quite frankly, a national treasure. For Laura, who grew up in Bridgend in the heart of South Wales, women’s football was practically invisible.
