Sophie Ingle reflects on ‘tough' journey to fitness from ACL injury and how Wales' Euros dream fueled her recovery
SOPHIE INGLE says her battle back to fitness from a knee injury ahead Wales' Euros debut has been "tough but worthwhile".
And the former Chelsea star has urged her team-mates to give it all they have got against the Netherlands, France and England in the contest's group stage.
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The midfielder, 33, was sharing her thoughts at Cardiff Airport shortly before jetting off to Portugal with her Wales pals for their pre-Euros camp.
The team will spend this week doing warm weather training as part of their prep for potentially humid conditions in Switzerland the host nation for this year's contest.
Last Friday the ex- Chelsea star was named in Rhian Wilkinson's squad for the tournament, with the Wales boss announcing her 23-strong group from the summit of Yr Wyddfa, also known as Snowdon.
Ingle's inclusion follows her recovery from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament sustained last September.
The five-time WSL title winner suffered her injury during the Blues' pre-season clash with Dutch side Feyenoord.
It meant the midfielder, who has 141 senior international caps, spent last season out of action for her country and former club.
When asked how much of it was to be fit in time to help Wales at the Euros, Ingle told Sky Sports: "It's been a tough eight to nine months (for rehab).
'But I just had this to aim for and that really helped me push every single day being in that gym on my own.
'It was hard, but I'm near the end which is the main thing.'
Wales' historic qualification for this year's Euros was sealed when Wilkinson's team beat the Republic of Ireland 2-0 in the second leg of their qualifier clash last December.
Ingle added: "As soon as the girls qualified (in December, I rang my physio at club and said, 'is it doable (for me)? The timeframe is going to be tough'.
"He said let's give it everything we've got and that's what we did."
Wales are competing in what could be described as a Euros group of death with their group D rivals being titleholders England, 2017 champs the Netherlands and France.
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And while Ingle sees her side as underdogs, she reckons they are capable of excelling in the contest.
She said: "We can achieve anything we want to. I think we're underdogs as we kind of always are.
"We're not expected to win these games but let's play these three (opponents) in the group stage and give it everything we've got against very good teams."
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