John Hartson has saluted Chris Coleman’s Euro 16 squad for the greatest ever Welsh sporting achievement.
Last night’s 3-1 win over Begium booked a semi-final place against Portugal with no-one prepared to write off Hartson’s countrymen.
From Tom Jones and Ray Reardon Wales has never been short of heroes and characters but on the big stage it’s hard to argue against the achievements being racked up in France.
Alongside Ryan Giggs, Craig Bellamy, Ian Rush and Mark Hughes, Hartson experienced only heart-break when it came to the international game with the former Celtic striker delighted to witness last night’s success.
“We didn’t fear Belgium whatsoever but we respected them,” he explained. “Rightly so because they have got tremendous individuals but Belgium as a team have faltered. They faltered in the World Cup 2014 and they faltered again in the European championships.
“That’s four times we have played Belgium in the last 18 months and have not been beaten. We beat them twice.”
“In terms of great moments and achievements in Welsh sporting history, this has got to be the biggest. Now, you can go back to Ian Woosnam won a green jacket in 1991, the Masters.
“You can look at Colin Jackson, broke the World 110 metres hurdles record at the Olympic games. You can look at Joe Calzaghe, 46, unbeaten boxer, unbelievable fighter, took them all on and its true that you got lots of great Welsh rugby players who played in the Lions’ tours and came away with victories in South Africa and everywhere else where they played Australia.
“But in terms of Wales, this group of players getting to the semi-final of the European Championship. These players will go down in history as achieving the greatest sporting moment in Welsh history. Not just football, in all sports.”
What an occasion.. Wales’s proudest football moment to date ! pic.twitter.com/9Kh1lqd4Uy
— John Hartson (@JohnHartson10) July 2, 2016