Sport

Chris Coleman: This is Wales' biggest game for 58 years

&nbsp;Wales&rsquo;s prospects of victory in Lille tonight have been boosted by the suspension of Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen and an ankle injury to his counterpart Jan Vertonghen<br />Picture by PA
 Wales’s prospects of victory in Lille tonight have been boosted by the suspension of Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen and an ankle injury to his counterpart Jan Vertonghen
Picture by PA
 Wales’s prospects of victory in Lille tonight have been boosted by the suspension of Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen and an ankle injury to his counterpart Jan Vertonghen
Picture by PA

Quarter-final Wales v Belgium (tonight, 8pm, BBC1 & TV3)

Chris Coleman has no intention of playing the occasion down as he prepares his side for what he calls Wales’ biggest game for 58 years.

Wales meet Belgium in Lille tonight with a Euro 2016 semi-final place the prize for the winner.

Coleman’s men start as underdogs against opponents ranked second in the world, but the Wales manager said his squad have taken inspiration from talking to a member of the 1958 side which reached the quarter-final of the World Cup.

“We had a good week training in Portugal before we came out here and one of the players from the ‘58 team came out and had a chat with some of the boys,” said Coleman.

“We we were talking about the 1958 experience they had.

“In those days, when players arrived back off the train they were asked whether they’d been on holiday because nobody knew they’d been at the World Cup.

“We’re sure it meant the same to them as to us now, but we have to say we don’t need to ham this game up.

“We know what’s at stake, we know we’ve earned it, and it’s a great place to be.

“Since the 1958 quarter-final, we have to put this down as the biggest game our country’s been involved in.”

Coleman insists Wales will embrace an occasion which will be like a home game for Belgium.

The French city of Lille is just a few miles from the Belgian border and Wales fans will be heavily outnumbered.

But Coleman promised it is a game that his players are looking forward to, and do not see as their final stop in the competition.

“I’m not going to play the occasion down, I’m going to enjoy it and savour it,” said Coleman.

“But we’ll enjoy it when we perform and we put the work in. We’ve done that so far.

“It’s not a feeling that Wales can’t lose, they weren’t meant to be here in the quarter-final, we’re underdogs.

“It’s not the way we see it. It’s a huge challenge, but just another one in a line of them we’ve already met.

“We’ve done all these things to get in this situation in the first place, and the pressure is on us from within to keep performing.”

Wales captain Ashley Williams is fit to play after damaging his shoulder in the last-16 victory against Northern Ireland.

The centre-back collided with team-mate Jonathan Williams in the closing stages of the 1-0 win in Paris, and has had daily treatment to make the Belgium game.

“When you see a shoulder injury like that you’re always worried,” said Coleman.

“The medical team have done a fantastic job, getting him ready and getting him in shape.

“I’m just relieved. I said 24 hours after the game that would be the period we needed to concentrate.

“If he had a bad reaction it would have been difficult, but It’s great news for us that he will be available.

“Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but you need leaders in your side.

“When you have a strong dressing room you need a strong character to lead it, and Ash is that.”

Belgium have problems at the back with Thomas Vermaelen suspended and Jan Vertonghen last night ruled out for eight weeks due to an ankle injury suffered in training

“He (Vertonghen) is a good player, an outstanding performer,” said Coleman.

“It’s a big loss. But they have so much talent, but we can’t look past ourselves.

“We can only concentrate on ourselves and ensure there’s a high level of urgency about us.

“Once we get that right we know we can be in the game.”