Wales vs Slovakia preview: Chris Coleman's side not just at Euro 2016 'for a laugh' ahead of landmark day

On Saturday, Wales will play at a major tournament for the first time since 1958

Your guide to Saturday's game

The last time Wales played in a major tournament the match was won by a little-known 17-year-old’s first competitive goal. That was the quarter-final of the 1958 World Cup but, unlike Pele, the Welsh have not gone on to achieve greater things since.

On Saturday, however, they will return to the elite international stage making their European Championship bow against another competition debutant, Slovakia. It is a landmark moment and the presence of Gareth Bale in the red ranks gives hope that they can emulate the team of John Charles, Cliff Jones and Ivor Allchurch and reach the last eight.

They would not, actually, be the first to do since 1958. Mike Smith’s team reached the quarter-finals in 1976, but back then the European Championship finals consisted of four teams. The eventual winners that year were a Czechoslovakian team consisting of more Slovaks than Czechs underlining the pedigree of Wales’ opponents is also more substantial than often thought.

Nevertheless, the opportunity is there for both teams to etch themselves into history and each are aware of tonight’s significance. “We’re delighted to be here, super excited, it’s a day we thought would never happen,” said Welsh manager Chris Coleman. Slovakia captain Marek Hamsik, the Napoli playmaker, concurred. “It’s very exciting. We qualified a long time ago and it has been a long wait.”

In the circumstances victory may well go to the team that is the quickest to put the occasion to one side and focus on the match. Coleman, while emphasising he wanted his players to enjoy the experience, added: “Walking out will be something special, but we have to remember we are not just here to have a smile and a laugh, we have to perform.”

“I have thought about walking out there lots, especially in the last couple of weeks,” said skipper Ashley Williams, “but it is important we shut off after the anthems and concentrate on getting our job done.”

Coleman, who was 46 yesterday, continued: “We want to do the supporters proud. We’ll enter the tournament in the same spirit as we did our qualifying campaign, which is we will give everything for the jersey and what will be, will be.

“We should enjoy where we are because we have earned it, but our core values must be the same: we are difficult to play against, we don’t give the opposition anything easily. We are hard-working with a splash of brilliance.”

Williams urged his team-mates to concentrate on the task at hand (Getty)

The latter comes from Bale. Such is his global stature the first question put to Slovak coach about him Jan Kozak came from a Qatari TV channel, the second from a Spanish newspaper. He will not, though, be the only talisman on the pitch. Hamsik is no less important to his country.

The latter insisted, “this is not between Marek Hamsik and Gareth Bale, this is a team sport, it is between Slovakia and Wales,” but whoever shines brightest is likely to finish on the winning side.

Bale has mixed memories of Slovakia. Two months after his 17th birthday he scored his first international goal against them, but it was in a 5-1 home defeat in 2006. Improbably, Wales won the return match 5-2.

Coleman dismissed Wales’ recent patchy form - a stark contrast to that of Slovakia who recently beat Germany - as irrelevant. “When a big challenge has come, these players have met it,’ he said, adding he had “no worry, no doubt, no fear, no concern.”

Joe Ledley, recently recovered from a broken leg, is available but expected to be on the bench for a match Coleman anticipates will be open. “To go into the second game with a win under your belt already is a huge boost. I think here are two teams that will see this as an opportunity to get that first win.”

Probable teams

Wales: Hennessy; Collins, Williams, Davies; Gunter, Allen, King, Taylor; Bale, Ramsey; Robson-Kanu

Slovakia: Kozacik; Pekarik, Skrtel, Durica, Svento; Kucha, Hrosovsky; Mak, Hamsik, Weiss; Nemec.

Referee: S Oddvar Moen (Norway)