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Prior to Euro 2016, Wales waited a long time to see their national team play at a major tournament. After rapid improvement in recent years, optimism across the nation is currently at an all-time high.
After decades of underachievement, the Dragons have now qualified for two successive Euro tournaments and boast a team filled with genuine stars.
But the problem with Wales has always been how to get the best out of the talented players at their disposal. The one time they managed to do that, the country reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016.
The current Wales squad is arguably even more talented than the one from Euro 2016. However, their performance against Switzerland in their Euro 2020 opener left much to be desired.
The Dragons may have snatched a 1-1 draw in the end, but they were largely passive and offered very little in a game of high stakes.
Wales stars fail to step up against Switzerland
Player for player, Wales boast a more talented, exposed and experienced squad than Switzerland but the latter looked a class apart.
A team boasting the likes of Aaron Ramsay, Ben Davies, Joe Allen, Gareth Bale and Daniel James should be offering way more than they did during Saturday’s game.
Breel Embolo’s opening goal came after a sequence of complete dominance by the Swiss, while Kieffer Moore’s equaliser was against the run of play.
Wales were, perhaps, fortunate to get a draw after Mario Gavranovic's late winner for Switzerland was chalked off after a VAR review.
The Dragons have a very good team but they won’t go far in the tournament if their big stars continue to underperform and fail to rise to the occasion.
Daniel James shines brightest in Wales draw
On a day when Bale, Ramsey and most of the Wales XI struggled, James was their most threatening presence in attack. The young winger has often been limited at Manchester United due to being forced to play on the right flank.
Here, though, he played in his preferred left-wing role and delivered a fantastic performance. He outshone his teammates, and his substitution in the 75th minute came as a huge surprise.
It was no surprise, therefore, that James rose to the top of the trends in the UK while the game was ongoing. He was unplayable and could be the key to Wales’ progression in the tournament. With games against Turkey and Italy still to come, Wales' Euro 2020 journey is only going to become harder from here on.
