a b c Dafydd Pritchard (18 November 2022). "World Cup 2022: Wales fans' rise from counterculture to mainstream". BBC Sport . Retrieved 19 November 2022. It's been really inspiring, and my kids keep playing it! The support has floored me, it's welled me up. I've had so much frustration in recent years so I can identify with the national team because I know what it's like to be on the losing side". His recent successes include a Diego Maradona t-shirt, which features the late legend wearing a 1984-1987 Adidas Wales shirt. The SO58 founder also reveals that he actually thought about giving everything up when his dad became ill.

Bravo! I wanted to echo fully the letter contents from Jason Palivoda (Friday’s letters) – actually with interest given the appalling skullduggery of even staging a winter World Cup – and I won’t be troubling the viewership statistics at all. A proper winter break lies ahead for some of us punters” – Mike Cornwell. Blake Welton (19 May 2016). "Heading to Euro 2016? Then make sure you get kitted out with this cult Wales gear". Daily Post. North Wales . Retrieved 20 November 2022. Sadly, his story is one tinged with sadness – his biggest supporter, his dad, not only didn’t get to savour Wales’ memorable appearance at Euro 2016, but he didn’t get to see his son’s brand become the huge success it has.

He encouraged me every step of the way with Spirit Of 58 and was very proud of what I had achieved. He passed away two years before the Euros, so he didn’t see the growth in a big way, but he always took a big interest and was always asking me what the next design was.

The feeling around the group reminds me a lot of Euro 2016 when it was their first Euros", Lois tells me. It’s symptomatic of the ever surprising success story of Welsh international football that a shop in the market town of Bala in north Wales is home to a fashion brand that has transformed the appearance of the country’s football fans.

Required Cookies & Technologies

The demand for the product was building and building, but giving up my old job three years ago this Christmas was the best decision I’ve ever made. It might not last but it’s still going regardless of whether Wales win, lose or draw thanks to a very loyal customer base who have supported me from the start.” Michu's Swansea City pain, the chronic issue he has to live with for the rest of his life and his sporting director ambitions On the side of the replica, it reads "Cymru, on top of the world" and on the front is says "Our Wales. Our Red Wall. Thank you for your support." After returning home from a Wales away game in Montenegro which we lost 1-0, I had 100 t-shirts to sell and wondered how I was going to sell them, because another qualifying campaign looked like it was over before it had begun,” he recalls. Doha is set to become a hub for Wales football fans with a luxury hotel in the capital set to become an unofficial base for 1,200 fans by hosting several pre and post-match parties. Read more about that here. Some fans are also planning to stay in Dubai, around an hour's flight from Doha, while travelling for matches.

For the future, the music and football fan is keen to release a vinyl album, featuring Welsh bands singing in Welsh and English, including a very special guest. Iestyn says he thinks the tournament is a good opportunity to put Wales on the map, and hopes it will lead to a good year for tourism next year - particularly given the huge audience reach in Wales' group game opponents: USA, Iran and of course, England.

From what I can see in the press conferences with the players and manager, they seem relaxed and excited so I have a good feeling we're going to do quite well". The chorus then goes: 'Da ni yn Cwpan y Byd / We're at the World Cup Waka Waka Cymru / Waka Waka Wales Since diehard Wales football fan Tim Williams launched the label in 2010, Spirit of 58 has dovetailed perfectly with the reinvention of Welsh international football.