You may have heard of Gareth Bale and Jess Fishlock, but Welsh football now has a new hero in the form of Graham Miles.
The prolific striker leads the line for Wales men's over-70s team, who have just become world champions after lifting the Veterans World Cup in Japan – winning the tournament for the second year in a row!
The 2025 edition of the annual contest, which is the world’s largest international football tournament for players over the age of 70, pitted Wales against twelve teams from around the world when it kicked off in Tokyo in early October.
Wins against teams including Germany, Japan and Australia saw the veteran red dragons advance to the final of the competition where they overcame a tough USA side 2-0, courtesy of two clinical strikes from the in-form Graham Miles. Remarkably, the team also won the tournament without conceding a single goal.
Speaking about their success at the tournament, the team’s goalkeeper Alan Meacham told BBC Radio Wales, ‘It's been really demanding, but the boys have really pulled together. We've got a great team spirit amongst the squad, we enjoy each other's company and it's been an absolutely fantastic experience for us at our age.’
A men's over-75s edition of the tournament was also held in Tokyo at the same time, with Wales’ over-75 team making it to the semi finals, where they were unlucky to be knocked out by England on penalties. (The team also lost to England in the final of the previous edition of the tournament, held on home soil in Cardiff.)
The success of both teams at the international competition shows the strength of veteran football in Wales, where there are believed to be over 2000 participants playing in various age brackets across the country, from over-40s to over-75s. The sport provides older people with regular exercise, while also combating loneliness and boosting mental wellbeing.
So, what's next for our high-flying over-70s team? Having fought off the fatigue from the intense playing schedule to celebrate the tournament win with a team meal out in Japan, thoughts have already turned to the possibility of a historic hattrick of victories, with the next edition of the tournament taking place in summer 2026.
Here’s hoping the veteran dragons continue to light up the international stage!
Learn more about veteran football in Wales, or delve further into Wales’ long history with the round ball.