Without a club, but Wales’ Roberts focuses on Euros

Rhiannon Roberts, the Wales defender, says she will put her future on the line this summer as she prepares to play for the Euros without a club.

Roberts, 34, has spent the last two seasons playing for Real Betis after moving to Spain in 2023 after spending time at Liverpool.

However, Roberts’ contract expires, making Betis one of three unattached players in Rhian Wilkinson’s Switzerland squad.

After wrapping up her contract with Southampton, goalkeeper Poppy Soper is looking for her next move after leaving Blackburn, and Alice Griffiths is also out of a club.

Hannah Cain and Sophie Ingle, both of whom are returning from Chelsea this summer, will leave at the end of their contracts.

Roberts insists that questions over what will come next at the club level are not on her mind, despite the profile of Wales’ first appearance at a women’s major tournament offering “a shop window” for players like her.

Roberts said, “I just want to give it everything and concentrate solely on Euros,” adding, “I don’t want to be concentrating on anything else.”

Roberts won her 79th cap ten years ago.

She claims that she has been putting off making her first major finals appearance due to her lack of clarity.

Wales has experienced qualification near-misses, one of which occurred in Switzerland.

In a 2022 World Cup play-off against Switzerland, Wales won with two more seconds to go before Gemma Grainger’s side won in the most cruel way possible, with Roberts scoring.

To be honest, Roberts said, “I’ve never experienced heartache like that.”

“I’d rather have suffered penalties.” I had to start taking sleeping pills at the end of the two weeks without going to sleep.

I remember going to the next camp and reviewing it, and I thought, “Oh, I can’t see this again.”

Roberts, who was one of 17 of the 23 players who ultimately advanced to a major tournament under Rhian Wilkinson, is fortunately one of them.

Everything about who we are is shaped by what we do. We wouldn’t be where we are right now either, Roberts continued.

Roberts, a well-known Wales player, believes it will be worthwhile to wait to play in a major tournament.

During a phone call with head coach Wilkinson, she learned that she was a part of the squad.

My stomach felt sluggish, “I had a sinking feeling. I’ve been a part of squads for ten years, but you’re still waiting to hear the phrase, “I’m taking you to the Euros, you’re in the squad,” he said.

Roberts’ groin issue increased after she started playing for Wales against Denmark and Italy earlier this summer, adding that it raised additional concerns.

Roberts, who had a grade-two groin tear, said, “I just thought, oh no, not now.”

But I’m traveling, too! I’ve always had a good sense of self-care, so I’m inclined to believe it was due to back-to-back seasons that matched up with me for six years.