Football: We can make final dream come true

RYAN GIGGS believes he may be about to fulfil his lifelong dream of playing in the finals of a major international tournament.

But he knows Wales must maintain their current form in the European Championship qualifier with Italy at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Wednesday night.

The Manchester United winger's sense of un-fulfilment in an international shirt has haunted him through his years of domestic and European success at Old Trafford.

Playing in a major tournament with Wales - who have not made a major finals since the 1958 World Cup - would be as special to him as his many nights of glory in the red shirt of United.

He began to believe the dream would always elude him - yet Wales are undefeated in more than a year and with confidence at an all- time high.

"I genuinely believe that if we maintain our form this side can finally find the success that has eluded us," said Giggs.

"Confidence is extremely high and the spirit in the camp is extremely positive.

"I have to admit over the years I had virtually come to accept I would probably never play in a major tournament with Wales.

"I've been extremely fortunate to find success at club level but it has always bothered and niggled me that I've been denied the chance to play in a major international event. I know how I felt in the summer when some of the other lads at United left for the World Cup. It's depressing because you feel you are missing out on something and to think I might never get that opportunity is hard to stomach.

"And while it's important not to get over-excited by our recent success, I feel that with the progress we are continuing to make there has never been a better opportunity to put Wales on the map."

Wales are undefeated in seven games and got their Euro 2004 campaign off to an excellent start when they won 2-0 in Finland last month.

They face an Italian side desperate to put behind them their underachievement at the World Cup.

Wales will be looking to settle some old scores themselves - last time the teams met, in Bologna during the Euro 2000 qualification campaign, a 4-0 defeat cost Bobby Gould his job.

Giggs added: "I think it speaks volumes for how far we have come going into this match but it's important to set aside talk of revenge, I don't believe in that.

"You pretty much know what to expect from the Italians because they are an exceptional side.

"But I think they will find the home crowd unsettling in Cardiff because the Welsh fans generate an unbelievable atmosphere at the Millennium Stadium.

"At the same time I'm under no illusions that they have the quality, ability and experience to be a major threat to us."

European nights at Old Trafford tend to be a bit special, but Giggs believes Wednesday's game will be up there with anything he has experienced with United. "There is a special atmosphere generated by our fans at Old Trafford on European nights," said Giggs.

"Matches of this calibre for Wales are every bit as special. Of course it helps when confidence is high and the crowd's expectations rise to generate an incredible atmosphere.

"But we are not naive enough to go into a match like this suffering from over-confidence. We have achieved nothing yet and there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done.

"Confidence can be knocked as quickly as it has come, it takes one telling defeat to knock the stuffing out of you."

Giggs cannot praise the contribution of manager Mark Hughes enough and he believes the trust placed in him by the Welsh FA has been a major factor in the current success story.

"Under Mark I never had any illusions that we were heading in the right direction," he said. "He has done a tremendous job.

"He has brought the qualities he had as a player coupled with years of drawing from the experience of managers he has worked under.

"Sparky has vindicated the decision of the Welsh FA to give him the job and stand by him when some of the critics were on his back.

"I know how desperate Mark was to play in a major international tournament when he was pulling on the shirt but his enthusiasm and desire is as strong, if not stronger now he's in charge."

Hughes's confidence going into this game will certainly be given a lift by Giggs's current form.

"I'm reasonably pleased with my game and the way I'm playing," he said. "I'm enjoying my football and I'm reaching the age where my game should be approaching its peak."

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