WALES will be aiming to upset the odds at Euro 2016 and the current squad can take inspiration from perhaps the nation’s most famous victory.
Chris Coleman’s men take on Sweden in Stockholm tomorrow in their final friendly before travelling to France and the match is 25 years to the day since Wales beat the world champions.
It was on June 5 in 1991 that Terry Yorath’s Welsh side beat Germany at the old National Stadium courtesy of Ian Rush’s second half strike.
A crowd of 38,000 watched the team that had won the World Cup (as West Germany) in Italy just 11 months beforehand beaten 1-0.
Rush’s goal came in the 69th minute after Germany’s Thomas Berthold was shown a red card by referee Bo Karlsson on the hour.
And the visitors – led by captain Lothar Matthaus and with star strikers Jurgen Klinsmann and Rudi Voller – couldn’t find a way back into the game.
As well as Liverpool legend Rush the Wales team for the Euro ’92 qualifier contained star names like Mark Hughes (above), Dean Saunders (below), Kevin Ratcliffe and goalkeeper Neville Southall.
Newport-born duo Peter Nicholas - who went on to manage Newport County AFC - and Mark Aizlewood – who had started his career at Somerton Park – were also in the team alongside Andy Melville, Dave Phillips, Paul Bodin and Barry Horne.
And future Wales captain and manager Gary Speed came off the bench to replace Saunders in the final minute.
Berti Vogts’ German side contained eight of the starting XI that had beaten Argentina in the final of Italia ’90.
Matthaus, Klinsmann, Voller, Berthold were joined by goalkeeper Bodo Illgner and defenders Andreas Brehme, Guido Buchwald and Jurgen Kholer in Cardiff.
After victories over Belgium and Luxembourg and a 1-1 draw in Belgium the stunning victory over Germany raised hopes that Yorath’s men would make it to the tournament in Sweden.
But a 4-1 loss in the reverse fixture in Nuremberg in October 1991 saw Wales finish second – a point behind Germany – and miss out on qualification.
It’s taken another 25 years to end the long and painful wait for a major tournament and Coleman will be hoping that Gareth Bale can inspire the current generation to many more famous victories over the coming weeks.
In the meantime you can watch highlights of the Wales v Germany game here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mo6JxFYlrw
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here