Others may already have written off Wales, but head coach Rhian Wilkinson and captain Angharad James have defiantly insisted they are not about to crash out of Euro 2025.
The pair have backed their team’s ability to respond against a strong France side, as they prepare for a decisive group clash in Switzerland, where the build-up has been over-shadowed by a road crash involving the squad’s bus.
The team’s preparations were thrown into disarray on Tuesday afternoon when their vehicle was in a collision en route to a scheduled training session at the St Gallen Arena.
Fortunately, no players or staff were injured, and the opposing vehicle’s passengers escaped serious harm.
However, Wales’ pre-match session was cancelled, adding another obstacle ahead of a must-win Group D encounter.
Having lost their opening match, 3-0, to the Netherlands , Wales will be knocked out with one group game to spare if they lose to France and the Netherlands avoid defeat to England.
Despite the disruption, both Wilkinson and James have stressed the team’s readiness to take on a formidable French outfit — one that recently claimed a notable victory over England in their group opener.
Wilkinson said: “We always talk about the next match and this is another opportunity.
“Everyone always talks about what it means if we don’t get a point, but equally it’s about delivering as strong a performance as we can to show Wales just how proud we are to represent our country.
“At this time the team is fit and ready to go. I think this another fantastic opportunity for us to show up and play to the best of our ability.
“It’s another great test. We know we can improve, and it’s about delivering as strong a performance as we can and show Wales how proud we are to represent our country."
READ MORE: Rhian Wilkinson Praises Team Response After Wales Involved in Bus Collision Ahead of France Clash
James, equally focused, underscored the team's familiarity with their French opponents and belief that they can produce a response on the pitch.
“We’ve prepared for France just as we would prepare for any other game. This is any other game, we’ve played them before and we know what we can do to get something from the game,” she said.
“We’ve learned a lot over the past few days about ourselves, individually and collectively. We’ve had some tough conversations over the past few days, but we are ready to get back out on the field and put in a performance to be proud of.”
The unsettling crash on Tuesday happened as Wilkinson and James were travelling separately from the rest of the squad.
Both appeared understandably shaken and Wilkinson added: “We are trying to be as clear and transparent as possible.
“I think football is secondary. Yes, we are shaken, just because we don’t know. We are away from the team right now, so they’ve had to experience that.
“But equally, we have a great group and I have been assured everyone is fine. We have practiced for the unexpected – I think that’s what we can call this.
“Yes, football is secondary, but equally we’ll check back in, make sure everyone is in a good spot and then we will start working towards football again after that.”
Local police later confirmed that the driver of the other vehicle had sustained minor injuries and was transported to hospital. All Welsh team members and staff were unharmed.
France manager Laurent Bonadei took time to offer words of support for his opponents.
“I want to send them a message of support because beyond football, health is so important,” he said.
“I heard they cancelled their training. I hope they are okay and hope they are okay tomorrow. It will be a pleasure to meet them.
"I see this Welsh team as a very good one, with great spirit. They play without pressure, they have nothing to lose.
“They might press high at the start of the match, or they might stay compact and look to hit on the counter."
READ MORE: Angharad James Backs Wales To Avoid The Drop . . . And Start Climbing For Switzerland
Wales went into the unknown against the Netherlands on and quickly learned the harsh realities of competing against the elite of the European game as their tournament debut ended with a comprehensive defeat.
However, Wilkinson's side stayed defensively disciplined for the majority of the opening half and gave everything until the final whistle.
France will be another difficult test, but Wales are one game wiser and will have acclimatised to the intensity of performing at this level.
They now face a vital test of resilience and tactical discipline as they go head-to-head with a high-flying French side likely to rotate starting places on Wednesday evening.
Bonadei has already hinted at changes, a planned rotation that reflects the squad's depth and attacking power.
