Jess Fishlock Calls Wales’ First Major Tournament Qualification Her “Proudest Moment”

The Wales women’s national team achieved a historic qualification for a major tournament following their 2-1 victory over the Republic of Ireland in Dublin, securing a 3-2 aggregate win. Jess Fishlock, Wales’ most-capped player and record goalscorer, described her country’s qualification for a major tournament as “the proudest moment of her life”. This historic achievement, marking Wales’ women’s first entry into a major tournament after numerous previous attempts, was secured by goals from Hannah Cain and Carrie Jones in a “smash-and-grab” 2-1 win in Dublin, leading to a 3-2 aggregate victory. Fishlock, now 37, debuted for Wales at 16 and has experienced the full spectrum of challenges and successes throughout Wales’ pursuit of major tournament football. During the crucial match at the Aviva Stadium, she was forced to leave the field midway through the second half due to a hamstring injury and was visibly emotional, watching the team secure their qualification from the sidelines. Speaking to Match of the Day Wales, Fishlock stated, “I can’t put it into words. This is 20 years in the making. I wouldn’t change a second of it.” She further commented, “The ups and downs are part of the process and the journey. It all led to this moment with this group of girls.” Fishlock added, “This is by far the proudest moment of my life. My hamstrings are shot, but that doesn’t matter right now.” Following Wales’ qualification for Euro 2025, Fishlock expressed, “I could not be more proud of this group.” Rhian Wilkinson, the Wales boss, believes this accomplishment will “change everything” for Welsh football. She remarked, “This team found a way. They never broke for each other, they stayed strong. I’ve never been prouder of a team.” Wilkinson continued, “This is a special team. My staff are another level and this team, how they don’t quit… they never do things the easy way.” She also noted, “This team stands on the shoulder of giants who came before, and now they’ve proven how good they are.” Wilkinson further expressed, “They’re better than they think and they just have to see it and live it and experience it.” Concluding her thoughts, she said, “Those boys and girls back home are seeing a generation of football that’s going to change everything.” Hannah Cain, one of Wales’ goalscorers, who has overcome two knee surgeries due to ACL tears, admitted her struggle to control her emotions. She shared, “Honestly, I’ve got no words. There’s nothing that will ever compare to this feeling,” she said. Cain added, “You can see what it means to everyone. I was crying when I scored.” She concluded, “It’s pretty emotional. I’m glad to be back doing that. I’m not going to lie, I was a bag of nerves. But this is what dreams are made of.” Danny Gabbidon, a former Wales defender, suggested that qualifying for a first major tournament could represent a significant turning point for Welsh sport. Gabbidon drew parallels between the impact of this victory and the Wales men’s team reaching the Euros in 2016, which was their first major finals in 58 years. He commented, “It’s amazing. It’s taking me back to 2016 when the lads did it,” he added. Gabbidon further stated, “It’s that same kind of feeling.” He concluded, “We have had so many disappointments so for us to be in that draw, for little old Wales… we are going to showcase Wales.”