The Football Association of Wales through the use of its inclusive motto – Together Stronger, using language, culture and identity as the foundations for the creation of The Red Wall, has created a new breed of Welsh football fan.

Until 2022, Wales had not qualified for the football World Cup tournament since 1958, where they had lost in the quarter finals to the eventual winners, Brazil. [4] The team subsequently had little success, with a low point being reached in the 1990s when only 11 fans travelled to Georgia and then Finland to watch their team play. [2] However, by 2016 they had found new confidence, qualifying for the EURO 2016 championships, reaching the semi-finals and receiving an 'outstanding contribution' award from UEFA. [2] Spirit of '58 [ edit ]I started supporting Wrexham when my dad took me to my first match aged nine, and music, football and fashion have always gone hand in hand. It’s symptomatic of the ever surprising success story of Welsh international football that a shop in the market town of Bala in north Wales is home to a fashion brand that has transformed the appearance of the country’s football fans. While any prospective change will not be undertaken without consultation with different stakeholders including but not limited to the Welsh Assembly and Uefa, it seems a natural next step for a national football team and fanbase that are currently having the time of their lives and have recently embraced Dafydd Iwan’s spine-tingling Welsh language folk song Yma O Hyd as their unofficial pre-match anthem. There would, of course, be other, alphabetical benefits when it comes to the Cymru delegation’s seating arrangements at the draws for major tournaments.

The chorus then goes: 'Da ni yn Cwpan y Byd / We're at the World Cup Waka Waka Cymru / Waka Waka Wales I try and produce Welsh language t-shirts as well, which I think is important because a lot of Wales’ football support, especially away from home are based in Bala, Porthmadog, Caernarfon and Anglesey and they’re Welsh-speaking people,” he says. “The one defining moment was when the Team GB issue arose during the 2012 Olympic games. A lot of people including myself didn’t want it and that’s when I produced the Independent Football Nation t-shirts. Football Weekly is here! The podders chat about another rough weekend for Jürgen Klopp, Mikel Arteta’s high-flying Gunners and a 4-4 draw at the Valley. FIVER LETTERSFrom what I can see in the press conferences with the players and manager, they seem relaxed and excited so I have a good feeling we're going to do quite well". Send your letters to [email protected]. And you can always tweet The Fiver via @guardian_sport. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Charles Antaki. It’s been a tough time for a lot of people, but I’m very grateful to all those who have continued to support me through these difficult times.” Dad was a big football fan, he played, refereed and also ran the junior football club in Bala. He took me to my first Wrexham game against Wolves and my first international match when we drew 0-0 with Russia at the Racecourse in 1980. He knew I had a passion for what I was doing with Spirit Of 58 and he could see I wasn’t happy in the old job and wanted me to be happy. Blake Welton (19 May 2016). "Heading to Euro 2016? Then make sure you get kitted out with this cult Wales gear". Daily Post. North Wales . Retrieved 20 November 2022.

Up the road at Bala Town F.C, one of the oldest football clubs in Wales, there is more excitement brewing. My dad died in 2013 aged 70. He had been battling cancer for three years. His name was David Jeffrey but everybody in Bala knew him as Dei Jeff. When I first started watching Wales, going away 30 odd years ago, we went more in hope than thinking we could actually qualify", Tim says. Sporting the iconic yellow, red and green colours, the replica has been placed in The Hayes, with Wales just a few weeks away from competing in their first World Cup since 1958. Zlatan Ibrahimovic getting his ultra on at the San Siro. Photograph: Spada/AP RECOMMENDED LISTENINGYou’ve always got to keep thinking ahead because what I’ve found is that people start copying what you do. If you don’t think one step ahead you get left behind.

The SO58 founder also reveals that he actually thought about giving everything up when his dad became ill. a b c David Owens (8 December 2017). "The heartbreak and joy behind the rise of Welsh football clothing label Spirit Of 58". Wales Online . Retrieved 19 November 2022.Euro 2020 headlines as Man Utd star dubbed 'dangerous', Pogba makes 'nibble' claim and Gary Neville calls for Wales duo to step up One of the reasons I started the label was because I felt there was nothing on offer,” he adds. “I remember looking around our away support in Montenegro and all I could see was replica shirts. Not everybody likes a replica shirt, so I thought there was an opportunity for me to bring out designs that I thought would sell that would appeal to me and fellow Welsh fans. Wales fan explains the must-have fashion accessory of Euro 2016". The Telegraph. 26 June 2016 . Retrieved 19 November 2022– via YouTube.