In case it has still not sunk in yet: Wales women have qualified for the 2025 European Championships!

After decades of heartbreak, Wales will be competing with the best next summer in Switzerland, cheered on by hoards of fans clad in red.

The resurgence under new manager Rhian Wilkinson has been both surprising and yet also a long time coming.

The maturing of a young generation has been deftly handled by Wilkinson, who has also benefited from a crop of players who have hit their peak in recent months.

Finding a balance between the likes of Ffion Morgan and Jess Fishlock, Angharad James and Alice Griffiths, Ceri Holland and Lily Woodham is no easy feat, but the Canadian coach has worked her magic on this Wales squad.

‘Proper Football Woman’

Wilkinson is steeped in women’s football. As a player, she won a staggering 181 caps for Canada, playing in the heart of a defence that won two successive bronze medals at the London and Rio Olympic Games.

After ending a playing career that saw her play in Canada and the United States, as well as Norway, Wilkinson started coaching.

Initially with the Canadian age group sides, the former Boston Breakers player quickly worked her way up to assistant coach of the national team. In 2021, she joined the coaching staff at England – and latterly Great Britain – as part of Hege Riise’s staff.

Club Management and Falling Out of Love

After a difficult transition into club football as head coach at her old club Portland Thorns, Wilkinson admitted to falling out of love for football in the aftermath.

Despite winning the NWSL Championship in her only season in charge, Wilkinson resigned from her role as head coach after a NWSL Players’ Association investigation into her relationship with a player.

Wilkinson self-reported the incident to Thorns’ HR, triggering the league and PA investigation. At the conclusion of the investigation, which conducted a review of all communications between the coach and player, and interviews with the coach, player and club staff, Wilkinson said that she “was completely exonerated of any wrongdoing.”

Despite being cleared, Wilkinson, in a self-penned letter fully explaining her resignation, expressed that she felt that she had lost the confidence and trust of the Thorns team.

“I lost my love for the game for a little second and I stepped away,” Wilkinson said after the match in Dublin.

“When this job came up, I wanted the opportunity to come home in a way, to be embraced by beautiful people and a beautiful place.

“Wales has always been a home for me. I don’t really have a home. I left home at 17 and moved to the US, then Norway, then back to the US. Wales has always been a home for me, a haven.”

‘Back Home’ in Wales

Wilkinson’s connection to Wales comes from her mother, who was born and grew up in Bont Faen. In 1990, when Wilkinson was eight years old, her family moved to Wales for a year, where she attended Bont Faen Primary School in Cowbridge.

As Rhian Wilkinson won the first of those two Olympic bronze medals at London 2012, in the crowd supporting her was mum Shan Evans, and dad Keith Wilkinson, a former professional rugby player, as well as other family members from Wales.

“What was wonderful was seeing my family in the crowd and the Welsh flag flying. It made me feel so proud,” she said in the aftermath of the 2012 tournament.

“Spending time at Bont Faen meant I made lots of friends and got to know the area well. It’s where my mum grew up, so I certainly feel that Wales is my second home. With so many relatives here, there is a huge affinity.

“We are a very close family, so I try to make lots of time to visit. There is so much to celebrate here, and I feel so proud to be able to celebrate with my Welsh family, who have all been so supportive.”

Evolution, not revolution

On the pitch, Wales did not play unattractive football under previous head coach Gemma Grainger, but Wilkinson has managed to find the balance between results and style of play.

Built on the foundations of as solid a back-three as they come – Rhiannon Roberts, Hayley Ladd, and Gemma Evans – Wales manage to keep possession for extended periods and their fluid front three is always dangerous.

It feels strange to refer to Wilkinson as a new coach, such is the impact she has had in just ten games in charge: six wins, three draws, and a solitary defeat.

Two strong wins over Croatia and Kosovo settled the early jitters, while a brace of draws with Ukraine showed the squad how far they needed to go in order to reach the promised land of the European Championships.

Perhaps the biggest test Wilkinson’s squad faced was out in Poprad, Slovakia. With the home side 2-0 up in the first leg of the play-off semi-final, Wales looked like a side unsure of how to get out of the situation.

Wilkinson pulled off a masterstroke of a double substitution, bringing on Fishlock and Morgan who combined to score a vital goal. A 2-0 win in Cardiff four days later meant Wales were one step away from glory.

Magnum Opus in Dublin

A 1-1 draw with Ireland in Cardiff set up a Dublin showdown where Wales showed their progress under Wilkinson on the biggest stage, winning 2-1 and booking their place in Switzerland next summer.

Having beaten Ireland in dramatic fashion, Wilkinson said the achievement will “change everything” for Welsh football.

“This team found a way. They never broke for each other, they stayed strong. I’ve never been prouder of a team,” she said.

“This is a special team. My staff are another level and this team, how they don’t quit, they never do things the easy way.

“This team stands on the shoulders of giants who came before, and now they’ve proven how good they are. They’re better than they think, and they just have to see it and live it and experience it.

“Those boys and girls back home are seeing a generation of football that’s going to change everything.”

With Wilkinson at the helm of women’s football in Wales, the game seems like it will only go from strength to strength over the coming months and years.

---

If you want to read more pieces from Sportin Wales, why not read to our monthly magazine here or subscribe to the magazine and newsletter at https://sportin.wales/subscribe/.

Our podcast is back for the new season and our co-founder Alex Cuthbert is in charge! You can find all the episodes here or the video versions on our YouTube channel.

You can also keep track of our pieces and videos on our socials at @Sportin_Wales on X or Sportin Wales on Instagram and Facebook.