Aaron Ramsey: Teenage star who became Wales’ ‘best midfielder’

Ramsey is undoubtedly a Welsh great. It can seem curious, therefore, that there remains a lingering sense of what might have been.

When he first emerged, there was arguably more excitement about Ramsey than there was about Gareth Bale; the creative midfielder joining Arsenal while his fellow Welsh teenager struggled to get a game at left-back for Spurs.

Ultimately, their peak years aligned perfectly with their country’s finest era.

Bale blossomed into an otherworldly talent who went on to achieve feats beyond any of his countrymen, the personification of Wales’ golden generation.

In Wales at least, Ramsey was often mentioned in the same breath.

“I think Bale’s the best player we’ve ever produced,” Coleman explains. “And Rambo’s the best midfielder we’ve ever produced.”

Ramsey made himself an Arsenal hero by scoring winning goals in two FA Cup finals, while there were several moments of genius – the staggering volley at Fenerbahce or the divine team goal at Fulham – which lit up his 11 years in north London.

But it was with Wales that he ascended to another plane.

To think back to the golden summer of Euro 2016 is to conjure images of Ramsey’s peroxide blonde hair, his goal against Russia and his artful conducting of play which earned him a place in the team of the tournament.

“He was huge. We were blessed to have Rambo and Bale together,” says Ledley.

“Gaz would take a lot of the plaudits and Aaron went under the radar at times.

“We could see how good an influence he was on the players, and not just on the pitch. He picked his moments, a big-time player. When you needed it, he was always there.”

Euro 2016 was Wales’ first major tournament since 1958. Ramsey played at three.

He provided some of Wales’ highlights at the following European Championships but, like Bale, Ramsey was starting to fade once the team reached the 2022 World Cup.

Still only 31 at the time, injuries were taking their toll. Not only the horrific leg break of 2010, but the persistent muscular issues which hindered him afterwards.