Wales youngsters impressed Giggs, Cazorla is astonishing and will O’Neill stick around for Northern Ireland’s play-off?
With the reality of reaching a third tournament finals still sinking in as elated Wales supporters furrowed out of the turnstiles in Cardiff, five precious words will have stirred further excitement. “This is just the beginning,” Ryan Giggs said. And he has a point. Giggs put the onus on young players in his first qualifying campaign in charge of his country and how the new generation rewarded him, with Daniel James, David Brooks, Harry Wilson, Ethan Ampadu and Joe Morrell – all of whom are 22 or under – complementing headline acts such as Gareth Bale and, after returning to fitness, Aaron Ramsey. Next summer Giggs will hope to call on Brooks and Joe Rodon, the latest Swansea academy graduate to make an impression in a Wales shirt, with both absent on Tuesday. Others, too, could stake a claim, including Leeds’ Tyler Roberts, Manchester United’s Dylan Levitt and the 19-year-old Schalke winger Rabbi Matondo. Ben Fisher