Wales' Euro 2016 squad: Where are they now?
- Wales defied all odds at Euro 2016 by reaching the semi-finals
- Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey were the stars of the tournament
- The Dragons have since qualified for Euro 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup
When the squads for Euro 2016 were announced, few expected Wales to pull up any trees.
A few star players aside, the 23 largely consisted of unsensational performers who either plied their trade in the lower reaches of the Premier League or the second tier.
However, fuelled by a feverish team spirit and togetherness, Wales managed to upset the odds and make it all the way to the semi-finals - where they bowed out to eventual winners Portugal.
Wondering what that squad of miracle workers are up to now? Well, wonder no more.
1. Wayne Hennessey
Wayne Hennessey was Wales' number one for many years, but has now lost his place in between the sticks. However, the goalkeeper still earns regular call-ups to the Dragons' squads - including for Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup - even if his game time is limited.
Hennessey represented Crystal Palace while playing at Euro 2016 and the 37-year-old is still a Premier League goalkeeper, although he is very far down the pecking order at Nottingham Forest.
2. Chris Gunter
It feels as if Chris Gunter has been Wales' starting right-back for the entirety of the 21st century, but the former Reading man did bring his career to an end in 2023.
Gunter became the first Welsh international to reach 100 caps in 2021 though, and is now part of the country's coaching staff.
3. Neil Taylor
The ever reliable Neil Taylor did not miss a single second of Wales' Euro 2016 campaign.
At the time he was at Swansea City but he moved on to Aston Villa in January 2017 before a brief spell with Middlesbrough prior to his retirement in 2022.
However, much like Gunter, the former left-back is still working with Wales as assistant to the under-21 side, as well as being full-time head coach of United Arab Emirates club Gulf United.
4. Ben Davies
Ben Davies was an important part of the Welsh back three for Euro 2016 and his absence in the semi-final against Portugal was a blow.
Since the championships he has been a regular for Tottenham, enjoying plenty of first-team minutes for the Lilywhites under a host of different coaches.
He has now taken on the role of becoming Wales captain and is one of Rob Page's most important current players.
5. James Chester
A regular for Wales over the years and at Euro 2016, James Chester's career hasn't quite lived up to expectation.
A move to Aston Villa in 2016 was followed by switches to Stoke City and Derby County, and the centre-back now finds himself in League Two with Barrow at the age of 35.
6. Ashley Williams
Ashley Williams' performances at Euro 2016 earned him a £12m move to Everton, but the defender struggled to make a significant impact at Goodison Park.
A loan move to Stoke and a permanent switch to Bristol City followed, before he announced his retirement in January 2021 after failing to find a club.
However, Williams is still a regular on TV, featuring as a pundit on occasion for the BBC.
7. Joe Allen
The Welsh Pirlo left Liverpool for Stoke City at the end of the tournament and has now found his way back to boyhood club Swansea City in the Championship.
Allen still gets frequent game time in the second tier despite having reached 34 years of age, but he has retired from international football.
8. Andy King
The summer of 2016 was the best time of Andy King's life. Not only was he celebrating Leicester City's Premier League title win, he also reached the Euros semi-finals.
The season after he featured in the Champions League, eventually slipping down the pecking order in the Midlands. Loan moves to Swansea, Derby, Rangers and Huddersfield Town followed, before he headed to Belgium to play for the King Power-owned OH Leuven in 2021.
However, his stint in the Jupiler Pro League didn't last long, with the midfielder moving to Bristol City after just six months - where he still plays today.
9. Hal Robson-Kanu
Hal Robson-Kanu did not even have a club when Euro 2016 began. However, after scoring a wonder goal in the quarter-final against Belgium he was snapped up by West Brom.
He finished his career with the Baggies, spending five years at the Hawthorns, although he claims he has technically not retired yet and would still like to play professionally again.
10. Aaron Ramsey
Aaron Ramsey had a brilliant tournament at Euro 2016 but heartbreakingly missed the semi-final through suspension. Who knows what might have been had he been fit to play?
Injuries have always impacted Ramsey's career both at club and international level, but he still achieved great things with Arsenal before making a move to Juventus in 2019.
The midfielder then briefly joined Rangers - where he missed the crucial penalty in the 2022 Europa League final - before a spell at Nice and an eventual return to boyhood side Cardiff City, where he is still playing at present.
11. Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale. The man who almost single handedly dragged Wales through the entirety of Euro 2016.
Three Champions League triumphs with Real Madrid followed in the seasons after Euro 2016, while the superstar also made a brief loan return to Tottenham during the 2020/21 season.
However, Bale was hugely unpopular in Spain due to the sheer amount of time he spent on the golf course, and the Wales dynamo has since retired to focus his attention on hitting the links even more frequently.
12. Owain Fon Williams
The most Welsh sounding player in the squad did not play at Euro 2016.
After the tournament, he carved out a reasonable career as a backup goalkeeper in Scotland and finished his playing days at Dunfermline Athletic. He is now also a goalkeeping coach at Fleetwood Town.
13. George Williams
At the time of the tournament, winger George Williams was a highly-rated youngster at Fulham, but his career has nosedived since.
The now 28-year-old has played for seven clubs since, including the likes of MK Dons, St Johnstone and Forest Green Rovers, but is currently plying his trade for semi-pro side Hemel Hempstead.
14. David Edwards
Wolves favourite David Edwards was mainly used as a substitute at Euro 2016, with the midfielder only playing a handful of times for the Dragons after the tournament.
He had stints at Reading and Shrewsbury Town before returning to Wales to play for Bala Town, but he has now retired completely.
15. Jazz Richards
Jazz Richards enjoyed just two minutes of playing time of Euro 2016. Still, we're sure he had a nice time.
Later that summer he joined Cardiff City, spending four years before being released in 2020. But he is still playing to this day, currently turning out for Haverfordwest County in the Cymru Premier.
16. Joe Ledley
Joe Ledley's career was already beginning to slow down at the time of Euro 2016, with the midfielder leaving Crystal Palace the year after the tournament to join Derby County.
He then had spells at Charlton Athletic, Newcastle Jets in Australia and Newport County before retiring in 2021.
17. David Cotterill
Bald magician David Cotterill did not feature at Euro 2016 and in December 2017 he was released by Birmingham City.
Soon after he penned terms with Indian Super League side ATK, spending a few months there before retiring. In 2020 he briefly came out of retirement to play for Barry Town United before moving to Newtown AFC.
18. Sam Vokes
After the tournament Sam Vokes enjoyed his first ever Premier League season with Burnley. Vokes continued to contributed to the Clarets' surprise success, netting the club's first European goal in over 50 years in 2018.
He then made the move to Stoke in 2019 and followed that by joining Wycombe Wanderers, the club which he still represents to this day.
Despite still playing in the lower leagues of English football, Vokes hasn't made an appearance for Wales since 2019.
19. James Collins
James Collins was reaching the end of his impressive career when Euro 2016 rolled around, with the West Ham United defender not playing for too long after the tournament.
He would last three more seasons, two and half of which he spent at West Ham and the rest at Ipswich Town.
20. Jonny Williams
After the Euros, Jonny Williams shot to fame as the one of the stars of the first season of smash hit documentary Sunderland til' I Die.
Since then he has featured for Charlton, Cardiff and Swindon Town, and currently represents Gillingham in League Two.
He was part of the Euro 2020 and 2022 World Cup squads, but announced his international retirement in 2023.
21. Danny Ward
Danny Ward got one run out between the sticks at Euro 2016. After impressing on loan at Huddersfield Town he returned as Liverpool's backup keeper for the 2017/2018 campaign.
After Alisson arrived he was sold to Leicester City for a hefty £12.5m, but he has failed to impress there despite regular Premier League outings during the 2022/23 season following Kasper Schmeichel's departure.
He still plays for the Foxes despite being a benchwarmer, but he is at least Wales' starting goalkeeper now.
22. David Vaughan
Diminutive midfielder David Vaughan did not play at Euro 2016, returning to Nottingham Forest after the tournament.
He made a switch across the River Trent in 2018, signing for Notts County for a season before retiring. However, he briefly laced his boots up again during the 2021/22 season for Nantwich Town.
23. Simon Church
The hard-working Simon Church enjoyed a pair of substitute appearances at Euro 2016.
After the tournament factors beyond his control affected his career. While playing for Roda JC he suffered a serious hip injury and in 2018 it would eventually force him to retire aged just 29.
He finished his Wales career with three goals in 38 outings.
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