Ian Rush believes a new Wales era can begin in Paris on Friday night – with Ben Woodburn and Ethan Ampadu at its heart.
The former Liverpool striker has backed the teenage pair to help brush away the bitter and lingering disappointment of the team’s failure to qualify for next year’s World Cup.
The friendly against France is low key, compared to how the fixture might have been had Wales been heading to Russia next summer.
But Rush believes the potential that Woodburn, 18, and 17-year-old Ampadu can now unlock still makes this fixture, and the one at home to Panama next Tuesday, well worth watching.
The meeting with France will be the first between the nations since Rush, who made 73 appearances for Wales between 1980 and 1996, scored in a shock Wales victory in Toulouse in 1982.
“These are two great games and the first one is an opportunity to play one of the best teams in the world,” says Rush.
“It is a massive experience for the young players and I am really looking forward to seeing them. They will want to show Chris Coleman that they are ready to produce.”
Woodburn shot to stardom in September as his 25-yard strike against Austria kept Wales’ hopes of qualifying for the World Cup in Russia 2018.
Coleman’s side have since been eliminated from the qualifying campaign, however Woodburn’s performance from the bench means he is now expected to make his first start.
Meanwhile Ampadu, who became the first Millennium-born Chelsea player when he made his senior bow in the League Cup against Nottingham Forest in September, is set to make his international debut.
“These young lads are fearless,” said Rush. “I’ve known Ben since he was 12 or 13 and he’s played more for Wales than Liverpool this season.”
Woodburn became Liverpool’s youngest goalscorer in November 2016 when he came off the bench to score against Leeds United in the League Cup quarter-final.
“But he’s a huge talent and it’s the same with Ethan, who I think is a star in the making. These two lads are going to be world class, it’s only injury that can stop them.
“I’ve seen them training with the Wales squad and they were the best players there. It was the same with young David Brooks. He was like lightning and that really puts the older players on their guard.”
Wales take on a France side boasting the likes of Antoinne Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe in Paris on Friday.
Although excited by Wales’ future, Rush’s thoughts have turned to the past since the Stade de France fixture was announced.
France and Wales have not met since that 1982 fixture when Rush’s close-range strike gave the visitors a surprise victory.
“It was their last game before they went to the World Cup in Spain that year,” Rush said.
“They had some really skillful players – with (Michel) Platini, (Alain) Giresse and (Jean) Tigana in midfield – and it was a real smash and grab win for us.
“Platini said to me later ‘How did you win that game?’ and I always remember our goalkeeper, Dai Davies, saying to me no-one would believe the result back home.
“They got to the semi-finals of the World Cup a few weeks later and really were something special – and that was the start of their run because they became European champions two years later.”
