The memories will live on forever, but Euro 2016 is a thing of the past and next month Wales will begin their task of qualifying for their first World Cup finals since 1958. As is often the case every two years with major nations, some players will slowly slip out of the squad and new names will be introduced. Dai Sport columnist Ross Tyson looks at 11 players, who were not with the Wales squad in France, but who could make an impact on the road to Russia. Manager Chris Coleman will name his squad on Wednesday, with the opening game of the campaign on September 5, at home to Moldova.

The record 10 medals won by Welsh athletes at the Rio Olympics have been a vindication of the country’s systems and methods, according to Sport Wales chief executive Sarah Powell. Within the Great Britain total of 67 medals across 15 different sports, the 10 taken by Welsh competitors was an improvement on the previous best of seven at London four years ago.

Leon Britton has signed a new contract with Swansea City that will take him to just short of his 36th birthday. The Swans midfielder – arguably their most influential player of the past decade – has agreed a new deal through to the end of next season.

Bradley Davies has revealed he would have quit international rugby if he had stayed with Wasps. The Wales second row moved to the Ospreys at the start of the summer because he believed that was the only way he could prolong his Test career.

Cardiff City manager Paul Trollope has paid tribute to the scoring prowess of Joe Ralls and Anthony Pilkington – but still wants to buy more goals. Trollope saw the pair finally end the club’s wait for Championship goals from their own players as both fired home in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Fulham.

Swansea City manager Francesco Guidolin has admitted he would have replaced Fernando Llorente with Borja Baston against Hull, had the club’s record signing been fit. Instead, £15.5m striker Borja watched Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat to Hull City from the sidelines, just a few rows in front of new owners Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien.

Non Stanford will return from Rio empty-handed after housemate Vicky Holland was forced to suspend their friendship. Welsh triathlete Stanford finished fourth in the Olympic race on Saturday as her Great Britain teammate Holland claimed bronze behind winner Gwen Jorgensen of the USA.

Gylfi Sigurdsson is the jewel in Swansea City’s crown who manager Francesco Guidolin feared would be stolen. The Icelandic midfielder is set to start for the Swans at home to Hull City on Saturday after he began on the bench in last week’s opening Premier League win at Burnley.

Non Stanford knows she and Helen Jenkins will have to defy the odds if either is to strike triathlon gold in Rio on Saturday. Stanford and Jenkins are the two Welsh women carrying Great Britain’s hopes into the race, along with teammate Vicky Holland.

Justin Tipuric insists he is back to full fitness after the concussion problems that left him struggling to see properly. The Wales flanker will play his first match for five months on Friday night when he lines up for the Ospreys in Belgium.

Jess Fishlock has told her Wales teammates it is time to step up to the mark when they play the Republic of Ireland in Newport on Friday night. The Wales striker has urged the youngsters in the team to grasp their opportunity in the friendly, having gone out of contention to make the UEFA European Championships.

Jade Jones has become the first Welsh woman to defend an Olympic title after being crowned taekwondo champion again in Rio. Jones, from Flint, repeated her London 2012 triumph – when she was only 19 – by winning the 57kg title on Thursday night.

Hannah Mills has yet to plot course on her future after finally winning sailing gold for Great Britain in Rio on Thursday. Mills became the third Welsh competitor to strike gold in Brazil when she and her crew partner Saskia Clark duly won the 470 class after overcoming a day of windless delays.

Wales flanker Dan Lydiate will return to action next month after missing the Wales tour to New Zealand through injury. The Ospreys forward believes he is not far from recovering from a shoulder problem, although he may not make the opening weeks of the Guinness Pro12 campaign.

Cardiff City manager Paul Trollope has confessed he had never seen a match like the Shane Duffy-dominated one that gave his club their first win of the season on Wednesday. Duffy had a night to forget in Cardiff as he scored two own-goals before being sent off in a 2-1 defeat that continued Blackburn Rovers’ wretched start to the season.

Hannah Mills hopes to feel the wind beneath her wings on Thursday in order to breeze up and collect her gold medal. The Welsh sailor and crew Saksia Clark have faced another frustrating wait to finally get hold of their Olympic prizes in Rio.

Owen Morgan has reflected on hitting a maiden first-class century – the highest score by a Glamorgan nightwatchman – after the 22-year-old steered the Welsh county to a five-wicket win over Worcestershire at New Road on Tuesday. Morgan admitted it had been a long hard toil, but basked in the glow of Glamorgan’s second victory in this season’s Specsavers County Championship after hitting 103 not out.

Mark Jones is back in coaching and hoping to keep RGC on an upward curve in the Welsh Premiership this season. The former Wales wing has taken change of the North Wales club, following an unhappy short spell at Rotherham Titans which ended in February after 10 straight defeats.

Hannah Mills has revealed she won’t trust she has won an Olympic gold medal until it is hanging around her neck. The Welsh sailor is on the brink of winning the women’s 470 title along with her Great Britain crew Saskia Clark, with the pair due to finish their competition on Wednesday.

Becky James will reach for the baking tray after cooking up a second Olympic silver medal in Rio. The Welsh cycling star claimed runner-up spot in the women’s sprint – the filling in an amazing layer cake for Great Britain on the last day of the track cycling programme.