Qatar World Cup: Wales' journey ends, but fans still positive

Wales' World Cup travel has ended, but galore fans are successful a affirmative temper arsenic they bask the past rays of Qatari sunshine earlier jetting location to winter.

Despite a crushing defeat, they said it was hard to beryllium excessively downbeat.

Many person achieved their dreams of watching Wales successful a World Cup and said they were unsure if they would spot the federation look again successful their lifetime.

After a nighttime to reflect, galore are successful a affirmative temper astir the experience.

"We person astonishing memories of being present and they tin ne'er beryllium taken away," said Danny Hood, 32, from Hawarden successful Flintshire.

Schoolfriend David Bond, besides 32, agreed, and said they cannot beryllium excessively downbeat.

"Bale and Ramsey are amazing, once-in-a-generation players, they came on astatine the aforesaid clip and gave america truthful overmuch occurrence implicit the past six to 8 years," David said.

"But they're coming to the extremity of their careers and possibly we were expecting excessively overmuch success.

"Everyone thought we would bash a spot better, but if you look astatine the team, you benignant of knew."

He added: "It's conscionable being here, being portion of it. Enjoying it. We astir apt won't spot it again successful our lifetime."

Joe Agate, 27, from Chorley successful Lancashire, was proudly wearing an England apical astir the Souk connected Wednesday, but astatine the crippled helium was "in disguise successful The Red Wall".

He was with his woman Rachel, besides 27, who is primitively from Bridgend, and praised Wales' support.

"Fair play to the Welsh fans, they stayed for 45 minutes astatine the extremity to cheer the players, you could spot they truly wanted to beryllium there, and were grateful to beryllium there, portion the England fans conscionable left," helium said.

"I went successful neutral colours conscionable successful lawsuit but determination was nary trouble, the full tourney has been truthful affable with everyone mixing."

Rachel agreed, and added: "We are conscionable blessed to beryllium here, taking successful the atmosphere."

On the winding streets astir the Souk Waqif market, the enactment is continuing connected Wednesday with thousands of Mexican supporters hoping they volition not beryllium pursuing Wales fans retired of Qatar.

They are playing against Saudi Arabia successful a must-win match, and their fans are dancing and singing with radical from astir the world.

Gareth Martin, 58, from Bridgend, said helium had "enjoyed each minute".

"We could person done a batch amended with the performances, but past nighttime they were connected a antithetic level to us.

"It conscionable seemed a measurement excessively acold for the side."

Friend Andrew David, 61, agreed, and said: "We won't fto the effect detract from the experience, we would inactive alternatively beryllium present than not."

Michael Sheen tweeted to say: "Diolch Cymru! What a privilege to enactment you. Thank you for giving america the accidental to instrumentality portion successful a World Cup, you brought america each together, and marque america arrogant always."

Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney, whose autochthonal United States drew with Wales successful their archetypal game, besides tweeted a connection of enactment to the squad successful Qatar.

Rhys Nicholas, 43, from Cardiff and Paul Kinsey, 51, from Llanharan, Rhondda Cynon Taf, had been hoping to enactment longer, believing a past 16 spot was possible.

But they booked their flights Wednesday morning, Mr Kinsey said: "Just our luck, the prices had gone up."

He said it had been a fantastic 10 days and "the bubble had to burst immoderate time", adding "It's been large seeing each the nationalities and shirts.

"Going backmost to the Euros present wherever it volition beryllium divided crossed galore antithetic cities, it volition beryllium wholly different."

Mr Nicholas said helium felt "deflated".

"I felt affectional aft the match, it was a measurement excessively acold successful the end.

"It seemed similar the extremity of an epoch and this squad volition interruption up now."