There was a time in Wales' recent history when qualification for a major tournament remained a distant dream after decades of disappointment and the occasional near miss.
However, since the late Gary Speed began the journey of turning the corner for the Dragons, the fairytale run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 under Chris Coleman has helped cement Wales as a dark horse on the international scene, whether that be in qualifying or at a tournament itself.
© Reuters
After their last-16 finish at Euro 2020, the next goal was ending their 64-year wait for a second appearance at a World Cup, something which was achieved through two memorable playoff triumphs earlier this year.
Now, all attention is on Qatar, with Robert Page looking to guide his team to the knockout stages of a major competition for the third time in succession and Gareth Bale looking to bring the star quality yet again on what may be his swansong before hanging up his boots.
Here, Sports Mole previews Wales' chances at the upcoming tournament in the Middle East.
GROUP
This group goes under the radar as one of the most competitive in the tournament with all four nations in the top 20 of the World Rankings, and Page will recognise that his side can ill-afford defeat to a USA side of a similar status.
Four days later, 20th-ranked Iran go up against the Dragons, both teams looking to have at least three points to their name before they head into their final games.
For Wales, that is versus rivals England, with all three of Wales' matches taking place at the same stadium - a rare occurrence, yet something which may benefit them over the final week of November.
FIXTURES
November 21: USA vs. Wales (7pm, Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan)
November 25: Wales vs. Iran (10am, Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan)
November 29: Wales vs. England (7pm, Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan)
HOW THEY QUALIFIED
A five-nation group involving Belgium and Czech Republic did not leave Wales with much leeway for error, and the presence of the former realistically meant that they were competing for a playoff spot.
The trip to Brussels came first, Wales going down 3-1 despite taking the lead through Harry Wilson, and Belgium being held by Czech Republic three days later meant that Cymru were under huge pressure to deliver at home to the latter of those teams in Cardiff at the end of the three-game swing in a week, Wales having matchday two off.
A late Daniel James goal secured maximum points, yet Wales found themselves trailing in Belarus in their next fixture, only for a Gareth Bale hat-trick which was completed in the third minute of added-on time to save the day.
© Reuters
The goalless draw at home to Estonia was regarded as a disaster, but Wales followed that disappointment with a 2-2 draw away in Czech Republic, James again scoring a key goal in the second half which effectively saved Wales' campaign.
A nervy win in Estonia and the 5-1 home thrashing of Belarus meant that avoiding defeat at home to Belgium would ensure that Wales avoided the bigger nations in the playoffs, and Kieffer Moore's equaliser set up a playoff semi-final with Austria rather than the likes of Italy or Portugal.
Bale's two stunning goals - the first an outrageously-accurate free kick - earned an unforgettable 2-1 triumph over Austria, setting up a Cardiff showdown with Ukraine, who had outclassed Scotland at Hampden Park.
While the visitors had the better of the game, Wales prevailed thanks to Bale's deflected effort, yet another memorable moment in the nation's recent history.
RECENT FORM
That success over Ukraine came as recently as June 5, splitting Wales' UEFA Nations League campaign, and although it added an extra fixture to an already-packed schedule, it represents Wales' only win in their last seven outings.
Being drawn against Netherlands, Belgium and Poland guaranteed difficult games, but Page would not have envisaged collecting just one point from six matches.
© Reuters
As well as conceding 11 times, three strikes came in the 85th minute and beyond, making the difference between a draw and defeat, and it is a statistic which will not be lost on their opponents in Qatar.
The solitary plus point was Brennan Johnson's late goal earning a draw at home to Belgium, but Wales travel to Qatar having lost four of their last five matches.
SQUAD
Hanes. History. 🏴#ArBenYByd | #TogetherStronger pic.twitter.com/xqqoAaPfSA
— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) November 9, 2022
Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey (Nottingham Forest), Danny Ward (Leicester City), Adam Davies (Stoke City)
Defenders: Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest), Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Ben Cabango (Swansea City), Joe Rodon (Rennes, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Chris Mepham (Bournemouth), Ethan Ampadu (Spezia, on loan from Chelsea), Chris Gunter (AFC Wimbledon), Connor Roberts (Burnley), Tom Lockyer (Luton Town)
Midfielders: Aaron Ramsey (Nice), Joe Allen (Swansea City), Harry Wilson (Fulham), Joe Morrell (Portsmouth), Dylan Levitt (Dundee United), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City), Jonny Williams (Swindon Town), Matthew Smith (Milton Keynes Dons), Sorba Thomas (Huddersfield Town)
Forwards: Gareth Bale (Los Angeles FC), Dan James (Fulham, on loan from Leeds United), Kieffer Moore (Bournemouth), Mark Harris (Cardiff City), Brennan Johnson (Nottingham Forest)
STAR PLAYER - GARETH BALE
© Reuters
Whether he is 100% fit or not, the presence of Bale in a Wales shirt means that he automatically becomes his nation's key player, the former Real Madrid forward possessing the attributes to deliver match-winning moments in an instance.
A record of 40 goals from 108 international appearances only tells a part of the story. The regularity that he has produced magic for his country will stand the test of time, but he has dragged a team and his nation along with him with his leadership, commitment and sheer passion for the cause.
Real Madrid's loss in recent years has been Wales' gain. The two environments were chalk and cheese, and the camaraderie within the Dragons camp has always brought the best out of their generational player.
Bale's fitness heading into this tournament will likely remain under the microscope. Eleven of his 13 appearances for Los Angeles FC came from the substitutes' bench, yet Bale reminded everyone of his capabilities when netting a last-gasp leveller in the recent MLS Cup final.
MANAGER - ROBERT PAGE
© Reuters
With a background of having managed Port Vale and Northampton Town up until 2017, Page can never have realistically envisaged that he would be leading his country at a World Cup five years later.
However, after playing an instrumental role with Wales' Under-21s, helping players make the transition to the senior ranks, the 48-year-old deserved his chance when an alternative was required for Ryan Giggs.
A record of 10 wins, nine draws and nine defeats from 28 games in charge does not appear that impressive on paper, but when you consider that Wales have experienced Euro 2020 and top-tier UEFA Nations League football during that time, it is a more-than-respectable return.
While there are times when he, like his team, have been overly-reliant on the brilliance of Bale, there can be no doubting that Page is the right man to take Wales forward in the long term, regardless of how they fare in Qatar.
WORLD CUP RECORD
Best finish: Quarter-finals (1958)
Despite their emergence on the international stage over the past eight years, Wales have not competed at a World Cup since 1958, making the quarter-finals on their one and only appearance.
Remarkably, Jimmy Murphy's team came through a group with Sweden, Hungary and Mexico without winning a match, drawing all three games and then having to beat Hungary 2-1 in a hastily-arranged playoff game after they had finished on the same points.
Wales would bow out in the first knockout game, going down to a goal from Pele as Brazil prevailed 1-0 in Gothenburg before their opponents on that occasion went on to win their first-ever World Cup.
On the back of their run to the Euro 2016 semi-finals, there had been high hopes of Wales qualifying for the last edition in 2018, but drawing five of their 10 fixtures left them two points short behind Republic of Ireland in their bid for a playoff spot.
PREDICTION
On paper, Wales will be delighted with their group. They have troubled England in the past, USA are talented but inconsistent and Iran are somewhat of an unknown quantity now that they possess more quality than in previous editions.
Nevertheless, we feel that Wales may just miss out. A balance needs to be found between maximising points from the USA and Iran games, and ensuring that they remain in contention before the final match versus England. For us, that may lead to one draw too many and finishing in third spot.
VERDICT: Third in Group B
Darren Plant
