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Glen Williams

Michael Sheen's Wales v England World Cup speech on A League of Their Own gives viewers goosebumps

Legendary Welsh actor Michael Sheen has left viewers in awe after belting out a stunning pre-match team talk for Wales' football team ahead of their World Cup meeting with arch-rivals England.

Sheen, who has starred in films such as Twilight and Frost/Nixon, appeared on the popular Sky sports-comedy panel show A League of Their Own on Thursday night and even showcased some of his own footballing talent, recreating his role as Brian Clough in The Damned United when asked to do a series of keepy-ups before volleying into an empty net.

The 53-year-old was a keen footballer in his youth, having been offered trials at Arsenal, which he had to turn down owing to his parents being unable to relocate to London from Port Talbot. He eventually focused on acting and the rest, as they say, is history.

READ MORE: Don't Take Me Home - Get the latest Wales football team news sent straight to you

But clearly still a keen follower of the game, Sheen spoke of his excitement after Wales reached the World Cup finals for the first time since 1958.

A League of Their Own host Romesh Ranganathan asked Sheen if he would be able to give the audience a taste of what his pre-match speech would be to the Welsh players ahead of their clash with England, which is set to take place on November 29.

Without skipping a beat, Sheen gave a typically stirring performance, gripping the audience with an incredibly passionate and rousing speech, which drew a raucous round of applause from the all-English panel of contestants, including pundits Jamie Redknapp and Micah Richards and comedians Emily Atack and Alex Brooker, as well as Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

The speech has drawn quite the reaction on social media.

Carl Hewitt said Sheen is "the Prime Minister we need", while Aled Rees said: "I would follow @michaelsheen into the darkest depths of hell after that rousing speech!!!!!!"

Jude Antsey wrote: "Get him into that changing room in Qatar."

Joe Jones said: "Gave me goosebumps, the World Cup can’t come quick enough! YMA O HYD, WE ARE STILL HERE."

Watch the video below

Michael Sheen's speech in full

Yma o hyd, yma o hyd,

I hear the voices singing,

Speed your journey, bois bach,

One nation, singing with one voice,

A song of hope, a song of courage,

A victory song that floats through the valleys, like a red mist,

Rolls over the mountain tops, like crimson thunder,

A red storm is coming to the gates of Qatar,

It crackles, with the spirit of '58 and Jimmy Murphy's boys,

It turns the pages of the history books,

And finds Rob's page, waiting, still to be written,

What would you write in there, boys?

Dare you write your names on that page?

We haven't waited 64 years and come half way around the world,

To be troubled by a neighbour from back home,

When the English coming knock on our door,

Let's give them some sugar, boys, let's give them some Welsh sugar,

They've always said we are too small, we are too slow, we are too weak, too full of fear,

But yma o hyd, you sons of Speed,

And they fall around us,

We are still here.

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