麻豆社

Elis James' journey through Welsh footballing history takes in the two major tournament successes that the national team enjoyed during the twentieth century. Whilst most fans know that Wales reached the quarter-finals of the 1958 World Cup with a team that included international superstar John Charles, few are aware of the catalogue of errors that accompanied the team's preparations. Less know of the 1976 squad's success in reaching the quarterfinals of the European Championship, as the format of the competition at the time didn't consider it true qualification. Though the team was known for an iconic kit and a core of patriotic players, the era is best remembered for controversial and sometimes violent matches, as well as heated arguments over the singing of the national anthem. What lessons and inspiration can today's players draw from the two high points of our past exploits, and what calamities should we avoid repeating?