Chastain backs Wales to make a mark at Euro 2025

United States great Brandi Chastain believes Wales are capable of scaling new heights at Euro 2025 after creating history by qualifying for their first major tournament.

Wales begin their campaign against the Netherlands in Switzerland on Saturday.

With France and reigning champions England also in a formidable-looking Group D, Opta give Wales – the tournament's lowest-ranked side – just a 9% chance of reaching the knockout stages.

And although Wales have never beaten a side ranked in the world's top 10, two-time World Cup winner and double Olympic champion Chastain thinks Rhian Wilkinson's side could confound those who are doubting their chances of success.

"I don't know if people understand the gravity of what Rhian has done, to achieve such success in a short time," Chastain told BBC Sport Wales.

"To do something for the first time, that is history, but the weight of what that means for every single generation that will come after ripples out, and it touches so many people's lives.

"So it's remarkable what Rhian's done, but it's not done.

"That's the beauty of football, and that's the beauty of watching her do her work, that we have the next match."

Chastain is a giant of women's football, having earned 192 caps for the USA over the course of a stellar international career which ran from 1988 to 2004.

She is probably best known for scoring the winning penalty in the 1999 World Cup final shootout, and for her memorable celebration in which she removed her shirt and exposed her sports bra, an image which has since earned iconic status.

Chastain was with Wilkinson in Newport in May, when the Wales head coach was among those studying for the Uefa Pro Licence coaching qualification with the Football Association of Wales (FAW).

Wilkinson has made a huge impression since her appointment in February 2024, with the highlight being qualification for Wales' first major tournament.

The Canadian has used the imagery of mountains as inspiration for her team, likening their journey to the climb to a summit.

Wales' squad announcement for the Euros was staged on top of Yr Wyddfa, the tallest mountain in Wales, and Chastain believes the team can continue on their upward trajectory in Switzerland.

"Rhian put in front of her team a mountain and explained how we're going to climb that mountain and what it takes to climb the mountain, and I love her approach," Chastain added.

"The Welsh women's national team needs the support of the whole country. They need to believe that this team not only is credible but that they represent them.

"So these players need to know that they have supporters behind them who care about them, and will cheer for them wholeheartedly and give them the belief and the support that they need to go on to do great things.

"They've only achieved the first thing that they want to do, which was to qualify, and now they need the support to go forward."