Wales' most-capped player, Jess Fishlock, remains steadfast in her belief that her team can pull off a surprise against France in their next Euro 2025 match. Following a 3-0 defeat to the Netherlands in their opening game, Fishlock emphasized the importance of moving forward and learning from the loss.

A New Challenge Against France

Wales, already considered underdogs in Group D, face an even tougher challenge against France, who secured a 2-1 victory over reigning champions England in their first match. Fishlock, with 163 caps and 47 goals for Wales, is no stranger to high-stakes games and is confident in her team's ability to rise to the occasion.

Learning from Defeat

"The biggest message is not to dwell too much on the game and the loss," Fishlock told BBC Sport Wales. "We need to take what we need to take from it, move forward, and throw the rest in the bin. That's my favorite saying: take what you need to take and throw the rest in the bin. It's not going to help you, and if it's not going to help you, it's just going to hurt you."

The Road Ahead

Fishlock believes that Wales has the mindset to bounce back and surprise their opponents. "Do I think we can surprise people? Absolutely," she said. "This team is still on a journey, it's not like we qualified for the Euros and all of a sudden everything is perfect - that's just not how this sport works."

Key Strategies for Success

To succeed against France, Fishlock highlighted the importance of nullifying their threats and capitalizing on moments to strike. "France are a great team," she added. "They'll cause us different problems to Holland. They're very powerful, very comfortable on the ball, love wide areas. But we can be very good too, and we just have to work together and nullify them as much as possible."

Team Boost

Wales have received a boost with the news that midfielder Ceri Holland is fit to start against France. Holland, who was substituted in the match against the Netherlands due to cramp, has declared herself "ready to go."

Conclusion

With a resilient mindset and strategic focus, Wales aims to turn their Euro 2025 campaign around. As Fishlock puts it, "We had our journey to get here, we've done that, now our journey is getting up to another level… and if there's a team that can bounce back and do that, it is Wales."