The Welsh football team is enjoying something of a golden era. After reaching the semi-finals of the 2016 European Championships, the Welsh will return to the tournament later this year for another go.
Euro 2020 is being played all over the continent but Wales will be playing their matches in Italy and Azerbaijan. They have been drawn in Group A and are far from the favourites to come out on top of the group containing Italy, Switzerland, and Turkey at 13/2 on Betway was of 29 January.
That would be an extraordinary achievement for Ryan Giggs’ side but most fans are far from confident. For many, it will be about putting good performances and hopefully picking up a win or two for this young squad. The men play their football across the world for their clubs but they all have Welsh origins. Let’s take a look at the parts of the country that these players call home.
North Wales
There are a number of players who hail from some must-visit areas of North Wales. Wrexham was the birthplace for a number of first-team stars including Danny Ward and Tom Lawrence. Liverpool man Harry Wilson also hails from the northern town, the youngest man to ever play for the Welsh national team.
But it doesn’t just stop at Wrexham. Wales’ first-choice goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey was born in the north-west town of Bangor in Gwynedd. The Crystal Palace goalkeeper actually grew up further west on Anglesey in the town of Beaumaris and speaks fluent Welsh.
Several players also hail from Denbighshire. Rather surprisingly, Neil Taylor and the youngster Chris Maxwell were both born in the small city of St Asaph with a population of fewer than 3,500 people. Travel less than ten minutes up the A55 and you’ll find Bodelwyddan. That town is the birthplace of Dylan Levitt, the Manchester United teenager who was called up to the Wales squad to play Hungary last November.
South East Wales
A lot of the players come from the south of the country with several from the West Glamorgan area. It’s a catchment area for Swansea City’s youth teams and all of these players represented the Swans at one point. Ben Davies spent several years at the club before departing for Tottenham Hotspur in 2014. Davies went to a Welsh school and was born in Neath, as was current Swansea City full-back Connor Roberts.
Another young Swansea City defender in the Wales setup is Joe Rodon. The centre-back hails from the city, rising through the ranks at the Swans to his current spot in the first team. Another former Swansea man is Joe Allen. The Stoke midfielder wasn’t born in the city but grew up nearby in Carmarthen before joining the Swans at a young age and eventually moving on to Liverpool. He made his Wales debut back in 2009 and has made over 50 appearances for his country.
South West Wales
But South Wales is a big place and, of course, many of this current team hails from the western region and the nation’s capital. Gareth Bale, the vice-captain and the top scorer in the country’s history was born in the Welsh capital of Cardiff. He moved to Southampton before joining Tottenham and, eventually, Real Madrid. But Cardiff was where it all began for Bale and one of the younger members of the current squad, Tom Lockyer.
Less than 10 miles away is the birthplace of another of Wales’ star players, Aaron Ramsey. The Juventus midfielder was born in Caerphilly and played for Cardiff City before joining Arsenal. Not too far away is the birthplace of Declan John who hails from the South Wales Valleys. Born in Merthyr Tydfil, John made the first of his seven international appearances back in 2013.
Cardiff may have produced Wales’ top goalscorer but Newport can take the prize of being the birthplace of the player with the most appearances. Chris Gunter has made 96 appearances for his country since making his debut way back in May 2007 and still at just 30, there is plenty of time to add to that figure. Another Newport-born player who will undoubtedly add to his tally in the years to come is Lee Evans. The 25-year-old made his national team debut in 2017. It’s a beautiful part of the country with plenty of places to stay.
That rounds off the list of this current Welsh national team. The players all hail from very different parts of the country – and more may have been born elsewhere but none of that matters on a matchday.