Tired Wales down in the dumps but can find optimism for 2022 World Cup

27-Jun-2021 13:34:03 | Guardian

Gareth Bale will play on while young prospects like Ethan Ampadu and Rubin Colwill should continue to improve

Hal Robson-Kanu’s timeless Cruyff turn allowed Wales to walk on air at the last European Championship but on Saturday, in the arena renamed in homage to the Dutchman, hopes of another run deep into the competition quickly evaporated.

After Euro 2016, the players discussed making sure appearing at major tournaments became a more regular occurrence and, in that regard, advancing to the knockout stages represented another remarkable feat. Yet that a last-16 exit feels an opportunity missed is a marker of the strides they have made.