It was a history-making year for Rhian Wilkinson’s Cymru as they made their major tournament debut at EURO 2025 while two players brought an end to their international careers.
In what continues to be a transitional period for the side, a number of new players made their senior debuts and cap milestones were reached by some of the more established figures in the squad. Here’s a look back at a memorable year.
UEFA Nations League A
With qualification for EURO 2025 already confirmed, Cymru’s preparations for their first major tournament appearance would centre around the tough challenge of competing in UEFA Nations League A. Drawn against Italy, Sweden and Denmark, Rhian Wilkinson’s side used the opportunity to take their home games across the country ahead of a history-making summer.
“We felt that it was important to give the opportunity for our fans across the country to support and celebrate the team in the build-up to the EURO,” said Wilkinson back in January. “Playing in Wrexham, Cardiff and Swansea gives us the perfect opportunity to do so as we look to face tough but exciting opposition.”
The opening match against Italy in Monza offered an early indication of the transitional period that would follow as Hayley Ladd captained the side on her 100th cap, and teenager Mayzee Davies put in a player of the match performance on her senior debut. Frustratingly, conceding early cost Cymru in a 1-0 defeat.
An impressive 1-1 draw with Sweden in Wrexham followed, before the side were narrowly defeated 2-1 against Denmark in Cardiff. Goalkeeper Safia Middleton-Patel was handed a start in the return match in Sweden, and another excellent performance delivered a second 1-1 draw, despite Cymru being without some key players.
Denmark were 1-0 winners in Odense in May in what was Cymru’s penultimate match before the EURO finals, and while Wilkinson’s side were still without a win, there was plenty to be optimistic about. A 4-1 home defeat to Italy in Swansea a few days later proved to be the performance outlier of the campaign, but attentions were now very much fixed on a summer in Switzerland.
However, Davies would suffer an ACL injury in the defeat against Denmark which would rule her out of the EURO finals. It was a cruel end to what had been a breakthrough campaign for the talented teenager.
“The League A games have been critical,” Wilkinson explained. “I thought we had fantastic opposition in League B, it was just a different experience. Even the venues are different, so just getting the players used to the bigger stadiums again, the bigger crowds, the bigger noise and the bigger expectation.”
EURO 2025
Reality hit home in June as Wilkinson announced her squad at the summit of Yr Wyddfa, with Sophie Ingle included as she completed the final stages of her recovery from an ACL injury. From iconic murals, an official song and free bucket hats for traveling fans, this was very much the start of an exciting journey into the unknown.
“I think it means so much because it’s your country and we’re a very patriotic and passionate bunch of people,” explained the talismanic Jess Fishlock on the eve of the tournament. “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.”
A 3-0 defeat to the Netherlands in the opening match in Lucerne was more about the occasion than the result for Cymru. The intensity of the build-up to the tournament was an unfamiliar experience, and while there were positive moments in the match, the Dutch showed their quality when it mattered.
The second match against France in St. Gallen provided a defining moment as Fishlock became the first Cymru player to score at a major women’s tournament, and at 38-years-old she also became the oldest-ever goalscorer in a UEFA Women’s EURO finals with her equaliser. The match also enabled Ingle to take to the field as a late substitute to make her major tournament debut, but it ended in a 4-1 defeat.
Although a group stage exit wasn’t mathematically confirmed as Cymru returned to St. Gallen to face England, it would require something very special. However, the holders and eventual winners made light work of the Cymru defence to win 6-1, with Hannah Cain scoring the consolation goal for Cymru and give the thousands of traveling fans something to celebrate before heading home.
“We’ve learned a lot on this journey,” said Cymru captain Angharad James after the match. “We’ve come so far as a group. There’s a lot to be proud of but there’s a lot to work on. I’m so proud of this group of players the staff and the supporters. We weren’t up to the standards that we know we could be, but we’ll come back and we’ll be stronger.”
But there was off the field success for Cymru, with the FAW recognised for producing the Best Women’s Football Initiative at the World Football Summit Awards 2025 for the “For Us. For Them. For Her.” campaign, delivered around Cymru’s historic qualification and participation at EURO.
Friendlies
There was plenty of time for Wilkinson and her squad to reflect on their EURO journey with no fixtures scheduled until later in the year, and no competitive games until March 2026. A home friendly double-header against Australia and Poland would come next in October, and the camp would mark the end of an era with Jess Fishlock and Kayleigh Barton ending their international careers.
Barton had announced her retirement in August while Fishlock would play one final game against Australia in Cardiff. The all-time record Cymru appearance holder and goalscorer, over 11,000 fans were in attendance for her last international match which ended in a 2-1 defeat. However, in a sign of the baton being passed over, Mared Griffiths was on target with her first senior goal on her first senior start.
“We had lots of conversations but it’s such a private moment when someone makes that final decision,” explained Wilkinson before the match. “The two of them will be retiring on the day, these two women who’ve given so much and to sit there on the other end of the phone when they make that decision, it’s not easy to hear, but also, I’m hugely appreciative of everything they’ve done.”
There were a number of new faces in the side to take on Poland at Rodney Parade as Charlie Estcourt made her 50th appearance, but a 5-2 defeat exposed some defensive vulnerability. “I did not like that game,” said Wilkinson. “I did not think we lived our identity. It doesn’t matter who is on the pitch, we have to be able to deliver. We never had control of that game. We’re better than that.”
However, the year would end on a high as the squad travelled to Spain in November for two more friendlies. Sophie Ingle was on target in a 1-1 draw against Korea Republic in what was a dominant performance from Cymru, and a few days later a 3-2 win over Switzerland came courtesy of goals from Ingle, Hannah Cain and Lily Woodham to give the side their first win of 2025.
Ceri Holland and Ffion Morgan both made their 50th Cymru appearances in the victory, while there was a debut for Laura Hughes after the midfielder switched to Cymru from Australia after making one appearance. “It’s pretty surreal,” she said after the match. “I’ve been dreaming about this for a long time.”
Coming up in 2026
Cymru now return to competitive action in March as qualifying for the 2027 FIFA World Cup begins with Wilkinson’s side in League B alongside Czechia, Montenegro and Albania. “I think it’s an exciting draw,” she explained. “We haven’t played a lot of these teams for a long time.
“I think for all of us this is what football’s about, adapting and facing new opposition, so I’m looking forward to it. The dream is to qualify, but we know that there’s a lot of hard work before that. We’ve had our retirements, and we’ve had our friendlies. So, I’ve been able to look at a few things.
“This is going to be a really tough challenge to qualify for the World Cup, but it’s never going to be easy. Part of our learning trajectory is how we handle pressure and stress, and that’s for the players, but equally for myself. We’ve done it once, now how do we do it again? That’s exciting to me.”
