Arsenal legend and Wales star Aaron Ramsey has opened up on how much qualifying for the World Cup meant to late Leeds United legend Gary Speed as the Dragons take to the world stage for the first time in 64 years.
The thought of qualification for Wales' superb Euro 2016 outing was huge, with the occasion marking their first-ever appearance at a European Championships as they took the continent by storm in a run which saw Chris Coleman causing an upset to lead his country to the semi-finals. Now, the chance to impress in a major tournament once more is upon Wales in what is still only their fourth-ever major tournament and second induction on the world stage.
But while Ramsey knows what it means for the country to come together and rejoice in potential giantkillings over a month-long festival of sporting greatness, the former Cardiff youngster remained poignant in an interview with the BBC ahead of the Group B opener against USA on Monday evening; highlighting how he became overrun with emotion when Wales qualified as he paid tribute to Leeds United legend Speed.
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"It's come full circle, we qualified for the European Championship but this is the one that meant the most really," Ramsey said to the BBC.
"I remember after the game, I collapsed to the floor, with Gary and him having that dream of finally being able to qualify for the World Cup.
"And then to finally be able to do that, it was very emotional."
Speed, who was born in Mancot, Wales, joined Leeds as a 15-year-old youth player and became a key figure in the Whites' rise to the First Division title in 1992 before joining boyhood club Everton after 312 appearances for the Elland Road side.
Dubbed by many as one of Leeds' greatest players in history, Speed went on to make 85 appearances for his nation in a 14-year spell before retiring from international football in 2004.
A hugely successful career, which still sees him sit sixth in the all-time Premier League appearance list, fast-tracked him into the Wales manager job in 2010. Speed won five of his 10 games in charge of the Dragons before his tragic death in November 2011.
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