Page optimistic for Welsh football's future despite Denmark defeat

‘The players are hurting in there’: Rob Page is optimistic for the future of Welsh football as he paid tribute to his players following a chastening 4-0 defeat to Denmark

  • Wales qualified from a tough Euro 2020 group alongside an impressive Italy
  • However, it was a step too far against Denmark as they came out second best
  • Goals from Kasper Dolberg, Joakim Maehle and Martin Braithwaite made it 4-0
  • Rob Page feels time is on the team’s side heading into the World Cup qualifiers 
  • The team face Belarus on September 5 before playing Estonia three days later 
  • Denmark face the winners of Netherlands-Czech Republic in the quarter-finals
  • Find out the latest Euro 2020 news including fixtures, live action and results here

Rob Page paid tribute to his Wales players after they exited Euro 2020 following a 4-0 defeat to Denmark in Amsterdam. 

The team arrived in the Dutch capital with high hopes after qualifying from a difficult group including Italy, Switzerland and Turkey, but the Danes, roared on by the lion’s share of the crowd at the Johan Cruyff Arena, gained the first-half advantage through Kasper Dolberg’s crisp strike. 

Dolberg doubled his advantage three minutes into the second period after Neco Williams’ clearance landed at his feet less than 10 yards out, before further strikes from Joakim Maehle and Martin Braithwaite added some gloss to the scoreline for the Scandinavians either side of a sending-off for Harry Wilson. 

Rob Page was reflective in defeat as he insisted that the future is bright for Welsh football

The players were understandably devastated after losing 4-0 to Denmark in Amsterdam

Strikes from Kasper Dolberg, Joakim Maehle and Martin Braithwaite wrapped up the victory

Despite the result, Page was massively encouraged by what he saw. 

‘They might not think that now but, when you strip all the emotion out of it, that will hold us in good stead for the future,’ he said.

‘They’re a young group and there’s World Cup qualifiers around the corner in September (away to Belarus and at home to Estonia), and we’ll go again.

‘We’ve had a taste of tournament football now and we want more of it.’

The 46-year-old, who picked up 41 caps for Wales as a player, admitted that the way they went out was tough to accept.

‘It’s a bitter one to take,’ he admitted. ‘The players are hurting in there because of the manner in which they’ve left the tournament and they don’t deserve that. They deserve a lot of credit for what they’ve done up until now.

Harry Wilson was also disappointed as Wales’ campaign ended bitterly in the Dutch capital

Kasper Hjulmand’s men will play the winner of the Netherlands and the Czech Republic in Baku

‘Overall they’re a great group to work with and I think there’s a lot more to come from them.’

Denmark will now face the winners of tomorrow’s match between the Netherlands and the Czech Republic on July 3 in Baku’s Olympic Stadium.

With today’s win, Kasper Hjulmand’s men also became the first side to score four goals in back-to-back European Championship games following their emotional win over Russia in front of a raucous crowd in Copenhagen.  




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