In a half hour interview the Cymru Football Foundation\u2019s Head of Facility Investment and Operations, Aled Lewis, outlines the CFF\u2019s core beliefs and aims. He details the work of the Foundation and plans for grass-roots development, including on pitches over five years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lewis details why Wales took 64 years to qualify for the World Cup again and the development he believes has helped elevate Welsh football and footballers, both male and female. He explains how both Wales and other nations can benefit from their experiences \u2013 pitch development and maintenance, for example.
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Welsh legend John Charles is revered in Zambia too. In the summer of 1967, a John Charles XI toured Zambia. Among the players his team faced was a young Godfrey Chitalu \u2013 a year later Chitalu announced his arrival in world football by breaking Pel\u00e9\u2019s record for the most goals in a calendar year. Four years later Chitalu, not the late great Gerd M\u00fcller broke his own record \u2013 a still unbroken 116 goals in 1972. Forty years later Lionel Messi netted 91 times \u2013 a fantastic effort, but Chitalu\u2019s tally remains the record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lewis detailed Welsh football\u2019s commitment to encouraging everyone to play and also to football\u2019s role in making the world a better place. Obviously, this included the topical issue of Qatar\u2019s human rights record in the context f the role of football and what Wales and other participating nations in the World Cup planned to do. This is particularly important given FIFA President Gianni Infantino\u2019s call to concentrate on the football rather than Qatar\u2019s record \u2013 a call that was met with dismay by Amnesty International and others.
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Lewis says there is responsibility for Wales to showcase and advocate their values of unity, equality and inclusivity through World Cup and that everybody should be treated the same. He wants to see Wales succeed on and off the pitch and for Qatar to have a legacy that continues during and after the World Cup. While Harry Kane will wear the rainbow armband, Wales have had discussions to send strong message of inclusivity around the World Cup.
He outlined his hopes to see improvements in pitches and facilities for girls and women and to develop further as the World Cup will offer greater opportunities for some countries that have not had the opportunity to test themselves against the best in the world and develop when the World Cup changes its format to 48 teams in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the current climate of anti-immigrant feeling, Azerbaijan\u2019s Qaraba\u011f \u2013 the real refugees\u2019 team \u2013 deserve a special mention. Evicted from their homes during the war in Nagorno-Karabakh in the 1990s, Qaraba\u011f relocated to Baku, but never forgot their roots \u2013 they provide tickets and help for their original fan base to support the team in Baku. Lewis offered to help facilitate a gesture of solidarity from Wales to Qaraba\u011f.
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