Wales manager Rhian Wilkinson has made it clear her team will not settle for simply being competitive as they continue preparations for Euro 2025.
Wilkinson, who has instilled a demanding culture within the squad, expects her players to push their limits ahead of crucial Nations League fixtures against Denmark and Sweden.
Experienced Southampton midfielder Rachel Rowe returns to the squad after missing the opening two matches due to injury, providing a significant boost.
Goalkeeper Poppy Soper (Blackburn) and forward Tianna Teisar (Bristol City) also make their return in Wilkinson’s 26-player selection.
Despite a narrow 1-0 defeat in Italy, Wales bounced back to hold Sweden—ranked sixth in the world—to a 1-1 draw in Wrexham.
They now face a swift rematch with the Swedes in Gothenburg on April 8, following Denmark’s visit to Cardiff City Stadium four days earlier.
Wilkinson, speaking at her squad announcement press conference, emphasised that her squad is no longer content with near-misses.
“We were disappointed with our loss against Italy, which I think was something that I was almost proud of from the team,” she said.
“I don’t think we are in a position any more where we are happy with being close.
“We have to deliver, and when I say ‘have to’, that is our expectation on ourselves. There is not much expectation on us from outside of the Welsh football landscape, but that’s great. We want to keep pushing our own standards.”
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With just four games remaining before Wales make their major tournament debut against the Netherlands in Lucerne on July 5, Wilkinson is determined to refine her team’s identity.
“I am expecting exciting (Nations League) games and opportunities to try a few new things, but also to start bedding down who we are and what we want to bring to the Euros,” she added.
Qualification for Euro 2025 was a breakthrough moment for Wales, sealed in dramatic fashion with a play-off victory over the Republic of Ireland in December.
But Wilkinson knows the hard work is far from over.
“The qualification itself was almost like lifting a massive weight off this team, something that they had got so close to doing and now they have done it.
“We have got work to do and now it is my job to crank it up again a little bit.
“It is one day at a time. I wouldn’t be surprised if Wales is one of the most represented teams (in terms of supporters) at the Euros.
“It is exciting and I think that is the only way we can look at this Euro campaign as just a wonderfully exciting thing awaiting us.”
With squad selection becoming increasingly competitive, Wilkinson acknowledged the internal battle for places in her tournament squad.
“For the players themselves, they are in a scrap. All of them are trying to earn a spot on this history-making squad.
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“You might talk about the weight being lifted from qualifying, but each (player) individually has their own sort of back-pack of stress because they are all trying to make a squad and it will be competitive.”
Wales squad: O Clark, L O’Sullivan-Jones, S Middleton-Patel, P Soper, R Roberts, J Green, C Estcourt, H Ladd, G Evans, M Davies, L Woodman, E Powell, E Morgan, A Griffiths, A James, L Joel, C Jones, F Morgan, J Fishlock, C Holland, R Rowe, K Barton, M McAteer, T Teisar, H Cain, E Hughes.
