Jess Fishlock is finally set to represent Cymru on the biggest stage and the all-time record appearance holder and goalscorer sat down with UEFA earlier this week to explain why it means so much.
“Just immense pride and excitement really,” explained the midfielder when asked about her emotions ahead of the opening game against the Netherlands in Lucerne on Saturday.
“It’s been a long time coming for our nation, but what a perfect time to do it. Women’s football is on the rise and this a great tournament for us to debut.”
Now 38, Fishlock has made 162 appearances for her country and scored 47 goals during an international career that has spanned two decades.
Failure and frustration have defined too many qualifying campaigns of the past for the Seattle Reign star, but for all that the two-time UEFA Women’s Champions League winner has achieved at club level, this simply just means more.
“I think it means so much because it’s your country and we’re a very patriotic and passionate bunch of people,” she explained.
“When you grow up in that environment with your family and your friends, it really does mean more than club, and club means a lot, so that’s how much it means to do it with your country, and I think to do it here specifically.
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“I’ve played with a lot of these girls for a very long time, so there’s part of it too that almost feels like I’m about to do something incredible with a bunch of my closest mates. I think that’s a very special dynamic. It feels like this was meant to be.”
Cymru qualified with a famous victory over the Republic of Ireland in Dublin last December, but it’s only now that the reality of the situation has hit home for the player who remains the star attraction of this national team.
Fishlock’s quality and experience will be key for Cymru in Switzerland in what is a difficult group, but this is a team built on a collective work ethic.
“I know just how important everybody is in this group,” Fishlock said. “I know people talk about me, but I genuinely can’t do what I do, and I couldn’t be who I am in this group without every single one of these players, so our responsibility to achieve and to get the success that we want is shared amongst us all. Because we know that we cannot do it on our own and we need everybody to do it together.
“The mentality is that you take one game at a time. You have a game plan. You go out there and try and execute it to the best of your ability as an individual, and more importantly, as a collective, and with all of that, if it goes to plan and you execute it well, you hope for the result that you want.
“Obviously, it’s no secret that we’re in a tough group. I think any group you play at this level with the calibre of teams that are at these finals it’s going to be a tough.
“Obviously, we’re the lowest seeded. That’s fine, that doesn’t bother us at all. It’s just up to us really to focus on what we’re doing and on our own capabilities.”
