Gareth Bale walked the walk after talking the talk six years ago and is hoping to, again, be Wales ' talisman as they look to surprise the world.
Last time they shocked the continent. Now they have their sights set on the globe. Wales will be competing in their first World Cup since 1958, ending their 64-year wait for a finals appearance when they beat Ukraine in a play-off earlier this year. They've been paired in a group with England, who are fancied to top the standings.
Iran and the USA provide very beatable opposition, but Wales were written off by some before they finished top of their Euro 2016 group, which also included the Three Lions. Bale scored in a 2-1 defeat to England in Lens - the only group game they didn't win - with Daniel Sturridge getting a stoppage time winner.
Bale, though, had some interesting comments to make about the country he called home for many years, having played for Southampton and Tottenham. He said before the tournament in 2016: “England big themselves up before they have done anything. We have a lot more passion and pride about us than them. We will definitely show that. We believe we can beat them. It is like any derby, you don’t want to lose – especially to the enemy."
The former Real Madrid man also claimed an England squad, that included Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane, wouldn't replace a single player in the Welsh starting XI.
He claimed: “For me there aren’t any – we just focus on ourselves, others like to comment on them. For us as a team and camp we don’t listen to anything, we concentrate on ourselves. Nothing is fazing us, we don’t feel any pressure, we’re just going to go out and enjoy the occasion."
Bale and Aaron Ramsey were the outstanding players for Wales at the Euros and the duo are still the ones their country turn to. Both of their careers may not have gone as they'd hoped in the six years since - although Bale's domestic record speaks for itself - but they seem to save their best for the international stage.
A semi-final appearance, after seeing off Northern Ireland and Belgium, has lived long in the memory with the current group now aiming to write their own history. Some stalwarts from that campaign remain, but the likes of Joe Rodon, Neco Williams and Daniel James are now playing key roles.
And Wales, who have some managerial security after a lengthy period of uncertainty, proved they can still mix it with some of Europe's elite during the Nations League. Netherlands twice needed stoppage time winners to beat them whilst they narrowly lost to the Belgians after holding them to a draw at home.
Robert Page, who led Wales at the knockout stages of Euros last summer, has played down the significance of a game with the Three Lions, which will be their final group game. “England is just another game to us," he said. "I know there’s the rivalry and people like to talk about that, but we will just treat it as another game."
Page is hoping that his side could go into the clash having already secured a spot in the last 16. He added: “We play England last, and we could go into that game with both teams on six points, three points, who knows. There are so many permutations but playing England last might make things a bit easier as the pressure could be off by then, and we’ll certainly know what is needed to progress by then.”
A runners-up spot would mean a clash against the winners of Group A, which many fancy to be the Netherlands. Wales have some recent scores to settle with the Dutch and that may be another narrative they can use to fuel the squad, which will need to feed off more than just quality.
Bale said at Euro 2016: "Whatever the sport Wales seem to have a next level, I really feel it on the pitch, or watching games. I’m just giving my opinion." Winning the group would potentially see Wales take on either Senegal, Qatar or Ecuador.
Back in 1958 Wales went through the group stages unbeaten, drawing all three games, which was good enough to see them finish second. In the last eight they came up against eventual winners Brazil, withstanding them for over an hour before Pele scored an eventual winner.
Wales are far from fancied to win the tournament in Qatar, but their own self assessment will come down to how much they can punch above their weight, as they often have to do with a population of just over three million.
