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There exists a certain magic when Wales competes beneath the bright lights of Cardiff City Stadium.
From the resonant national anthem sung without accompaniment to the fans' collection of songs, and the way the vibrant atmosphere motivates players to reach extraordinary levels, these moments are truly uplifting.
Wales will require some of that enchantment as they prepare to confront North Macedonia on Tuesday, needing a win to secure second place in their World Cup qualifying group and to gain the advantage of playing at home during their play-off semi-final in March.
Failing to achieve victory would mean that the semi-final occurs away against more highly ranked teams like Italy, raising the stakes considerably as Wales' head coach Craig Bellamy acknowledges.
"Players have faced this scenario numerous times over the past decade, particularly on nights in Cardiff," he notes.
"When we have successfully qualified, it has typically been right here. The crowd is familiar with this atmosphere and these pivotal moments.
"It always provides significant support. We understand the need to win, of course, but we must also practice patience.
"Fans, please recognize when we require your support the most, though I'm fully aware that we need to give you reasons to cheer as well."
This will be the objective as Wales take on North Macedonia on Tuesday, seeking to enhance their legacy of memorable nights in Cardiff.
Hungary 2019
The absence of Ben Davies, Aaron Ramsey, and Danny Ward due to injuries means that the current Wales squad lacks members who were part of the team that reached the Euro 2016 semi-finals.
Thus, it seems fitting to begin with a match where many of the present players participated.
Wales had a rocky start to their Euro 2020 qualifying journey, earning only three points from their first three games under Ryan Giggs' management, but they built momentum at exactly the right moment.
No one exemplified this timely resurgence better than Ramsey, who came back from a series of injuries just in time for the final two qualifiers in November 2019, coming off the bench to help secure a 2-0 victory in Azerbaijan before starting the crucial final match against Hungary.
Ramsey scored both goals in a commanding 2-0 win, securing automatic qualification, and the jubilant scenes at Cardiff City Stadium were enough to bring even the normally stoic Giggs to tears.
Belgium 2021
There are similarities that can be made between the upcoming match against North Macedonia and Belgium's visit to Cardiff back in November 2021, when Wales again needed to secure home advantage for an upcoming World Cup play-off.
Having already missed out on securing automatic qualification to the Belgians, which parallels the current situation, Wales needed to triumph over Belgium to claim second place.
They initially fell behind due to a goal from Kevin de Bruyne, but Cardiff City Stadium erupted with excitement when Kieffer Moore equalized for Rob Page's squad.
With other results favoring Wales, a 1-1 draw was sufficient to secure a home semi-final, which proved to be critical for their journey.
Austria 2022
Wales maximized the significance of hosting their World Cup play-off semi-final at Cardiff City Stadium, as the match against Austria in March 2022 will be etched in memory as one of the most emotional events in the history of Welsh football – and, in many ways, Welsh culture.
Dafydd Iwan performed his powerful anthem Yma O Hyd prior to kick-off; the legendary artist was visibly emotional as he listened to over 30,000 voices, many of whom did not converse in Welsh, singing his song back to him.
This set a captivating atmosphere that became even more electric as Gareth Bale netted two remarkable individual goals, leading Wales to a 2-1 victory.
Iwan returned to the venue to perform Yma O Hyd again before the play-off final against Ukraine three months later.
This occasion was equally significant, with Bale again rising to the occasion as the match-winner in a 1-0 victory that secured Wales' place in their first World Cup in 64 years.
Croatia 2023
Wales faced a dire situation in their bid to qualify for Euro 2024 after suffering consecutive losses to Armenia and Turkey in the summer of 2023. By the time they faced group favorites Croatia in Cardiff that October, manager Page was under considerable strain.
In response, Wales delivered one of their finest performances, outclassing the World Cup semi-finalists before an enthusiastic crowd at Cardiff City Stadium.
Harry Wilson scored both goals for a 2-1 victory on his dream 50th appearance for the national team, reigniting Wales’ hopes of securing automatic qualification.
If they had managed to beat Armenia and Turkey, they would have progressed, but a draw in both contests forced them into the play-offs.
Yet again, they were at home for their semi-final – a dominant 4-1 win over Finland – and the final against Poland, but they fell short, losing on penalties which dashed their hopes for Euro 2024 in heartbreaking fashion.
Two disheartening friendly results three months later – a scoreless draw with Gibraltar and a 4-0 defeat by Slovakia – led to Page's departure.
However, that victory over Croatia remains a memorable night as a remarkable outcome and performance.
Iceland 2024
Page was succeeded by his former teammate Bellamy, who began his tenure as Wales manager with an impressive nine-game unbeaten streak.
His initial task was a Nations League competition, where his squad achieved an unexpected elevation to the premier division, aided by a resounding 4-1 victory against Iceland last November, complemented by Montenegro's success over Turkey.
Wales did, in fact, go down in the first half but made a remarkable comeback, with Liam Cullen netting twice, followed by goals from Brennan Johnson and Harry Wilson.
This resulted in an exuberant atmosphere at Cardiff City Stadium, where supporters sang both "Montenegro" and uplifting anthems dedicated to their own side.
Wales' fans have not enjoyed much to celebrate in Cardiff since that moment, and Bellamy is still on the lookout for his first significant win as head coach.
He will require at least two victories if he aims to guide Wales to the World Cup next year. Ideally, triumphing against North Macedonia on Tuesday would kickstart a sequence of three wins within the next four months, setting the stage for many more memorable nights in Cardiff ahead.
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