By Gareth James
Wales feel the legacy left by Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and others at Euro 2016 has been integral to them qualifying for a first major youth tournament for over 40 years.
Later this month Wales will join the likes of England, France and Germany at the UEFA European Under-17 Championship finals in Hungary.
It is the first time Wales have qualified for a youth championship since a side featuring Mark Hughes reached the U18 European Championships in 1981.
“You talk about legacy and look at Euro 2016 (when Wales reached the semi-finals) and what players like Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey did there,” said Wales U17 manager Craig Knight.
“These boys would have been eight, nine, 10 years of age at the time watching the tournament and that success would have resonated with them.
“It’s really real for those boys and the pathway is there to progress from a young age.
“It’s a real chance for these boys to perform on an international stage and that should motivate them and players at home.”
