As so often in fractious times, sport was the unifier. At the end of a week when faultlines opened up across the UK, Wales’s victory over highly fancied Belgium helped bring people back together.
The video of the team linking arms to unwittingly form a giant heart after their 3-1 victory at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille caused a meltdown on Twitter. Images of three of the team, skipper Ashley Williams, Neil Taylor and Hal Robson-Kanu, playing with their children shortly after the whistle ended their nation’s finest footballing moment, reduced fans to tears. Many suggested that it typified the spirit of a side whose social media slogan is #togetherstronger.
The Wolverhampton-born Williams was hailed as “captain fantastic” and an “absolute legend”. Former Dutch striker Ruud Gullit called him “a real champ”.
Williams was quick to return the compliments. “I love the guys, the fans have been brilliant and I am sure everyone at home is enjoying it as well,” he said. “We do it for them and for ourselves, we keep going.”
If it came down to lifting spirits, it is clear that the Welsh side would already have won the European Championships.
As BBC journalist Sian Williams declared on Twitter: “A ray of sunshine after an omnishamble week. Well done – you have given everyone a smile with your extraordinary performances.”
Sharp-eyed fans pointed out that Wales had won with just 48% of the possession, prompting wags to claim “it is possible to lose 48% to 52% and still stay in Europe”.
The scramble to secure Irish passports by Brits worried about Brexit has already become old news. The new search is for Welsh roots before Wednesday’s semi-final with Portugal.
Former England rugby player David Flatman led the charge on Twitter by declaring “my mum was conceived in Pontypool”. BBC news presenter Clive Myrie tweeted: “We’re all Welsh now. Go on boys.” Afterwards, BBC presenter Gary Lineker signed off by wishing viewers “Nos da” – good night in Welsh.
For genuine Welsh supporters, the victory offered a rare chance to come together and claim the sort of bragging rights that they have been denied since 1953, when the national rugby side last beat the All Blacks.
Welsh actor Catherine Zeta-Jones posted a picture of herself with the Welsh flag along with the caption “Cymru am byth” (Wales forever) to her 200,000 followers on Instagram. Nicky Wire, bass player with Manic Street Preachers, whose Together Stronger (C’mon Wales) is the official Euro 2016 song for the national side, tweeted: “I haven’t touched alcohol in six years very tempted ... best crack open the Ribena then.”
Cliff Jones, one of the few surviving members of Wales’s 1958 World Cup squad, confessed that he had slept in his Welsh shirt “like thousands of others”. Singer and TV presenter Aled Jones wrote on Twitter: “Dwi’n caru Cymru!!! I Love Wales!! What a result - brilliant!!!! EURO2016.”
Messages of congratulations flooded in from across the river Severn and throughout Europe as fans hailed a true team performance.
Comedian and England fan David Baddiel tweeted: “Just phoned my dad. Through his dementia his excitement shone through. Thank you this glorious Welsh team.” TV and radio personality Danny Baker said: “Are you watching England? sing the Welsh. Let’s hope so. They should be forced to watch what a real team looks like.” “Amazing performance, amazing result,” tweeted David Cameron.
Poignantly, many fans were quick to pay tribute to the team’s former manager, the late Gary Speed, whom they credited with helping lay the foundations of the current side.
As one put it: “They left the roof open tonight, to let Gary Speed watch us win.”
