**Wales Women’s Football Manager Delivers Historic Squad Announcement atop Snowdon**
Rhian Wilkinson, the manager of the Wales women’s national football team, has made headlines for taking an exceptionally personal and symbolic approach to unveiling her squad for the upcoming Euro 2025 tournament. Opting for a dramatic setting, Wilkinson chose to ascend Yr Wyddfa, more commonly known as Snowdon, in the early hours on foot, marking a notable departure from conventional press conference scenes.
While media representatives, Football Association of Wales (FAW) staff, and Welsh internationals Rhiannon Roberts and Olivia Clark travelled up the iconic peak by train, Wilkinson decided to start her journey much earlier. Setting off at dawn, she trekked solo to the summit, arriving ahead of everyone else, embracing both the physical challenge and emotional resonance of the climb. By 7:15 am, book in hand, she had reached the peak, greeted by the peace of a clear North Wales morning.
This extraordinary venue for a press event was chosen to reflect both Wilkinson’s personal connections to the landscape and the recent progress of Welsh women’s football. Eryri National Park holds a special significance for Wilkinson: as a child, she visited the area frequently, and it also carries poignant memories of her late father. Her family’s history in the region—her parents even honeymooned there—and a memorial ceremony for her father on Yr Wyddfa all imbue the spot with deeper meaning for the Wales boss.
The symbolism of the climb was not lost on the team—or on observers. Just as Welsh women’s football has recently achieved the unprecedented milestone of qualifying for its first major tournament, Wilkinson’s solo hike represented a personal and collective ascent. In the quiet moments before the announcement, she reportedly took time to reflect on the team’s journey, squeezing in some precious solitude amid a whirlwind of preparations.
In commentary following the event, Wilkinson described her pre-dawn walk as a welcome respite in an otherwise hectic schedule. “I actually debated whether I was going to listen to something,” she said. As it turned out, she accompanied her trek with a political podcast, using the opportunity to catch up on news and decompress from what she called a “heavy week” — a week packed with training sessions, strategy meetings, and events at the Senedd.
“I feel ready. I’m excited, but not over-excited,” Wilkinson commented, adding that while nerves were inevitable, she wasn’t overwhelmed. The early-morning solitude provided a rare chance to switch off from tournament planning and simply enjoy the landscape. “More than anything, it was just nice to walk on my own and not think about the tournament,” she remarked.
On reaching the summit, Wilkinson was joined by the remaining members of the press and the FAW team, who had made the journey via the Llanberis train—a far more leisurely ascent but still scenic as the passengers arrived in time for a 9 am announcement from Hafod Eryri, the glassy visitor centre at the top. The mood was celebratory, enhanced by clear skies and wide-reaching views, an uplifting backdrop for such a historic announcement.
Wilkinson proceeded to reveal her 23-player squad for the European Championships, set to take place in Switzerland. Among the notable inclusions was Angharad James, named as team captain, alongside a cadre of seasoned players such as Jess Fishlock, Hayley Ladd, and Sophie Ingle. Ingle’s inclusion carries particular emotional weight, as she returns from a long-term knee injury that kept her sidelined for the season.
The choice of Yr Wyddfa for this milestone event felt apt in more ways than one—standing atop Wales’ highest point to mark a new era for Welsh women’s football, symbolising both the sport’s elevation and the hard-earned journey upwards. For Wilkinson, the location was more than dramatic scenery; it was a tribute to family, memory, and the collective aspirations of her team. In the coming weeks, that spirit will travel with the squad as they take on their greatest challenge yet on the European stage.