Even the seasoned old pros knew the quiet kid was special. Neville Southall, twice a League winner with Everton, remembers Ryan Giggs’ first training sessions with Wales clearly 16 years on.

What astonished the goalkeeper, then 33, was not just the teenager’s natural prowess – but the fact he was so good, he was a touch embarrassed about it. “You could immediately see he had ability, but it was also clear he was holding back in training,” Southall says with fondness. “I always thought it was because he felt that, as a kid, he shouldn’t really take the Mick out of all the big-name players in the squad as it might have seemed cocky. He could have if he wanted to, though.”

Cardiff-born Giggs made his international debut in October 1991 as a late substitute for Eric Young in Germany, the first of a 64-cap career that ended with last month’s 0-0 draw with the Czech Republic. Befitting his prodigious status, he was, at just 17 years and 321 days, the youngest player to represent his country. Two years later he scored his first goal for Wales, a memorable free-kick against Belgium at the old Cardiff Arms Park. A star was born, and Giggs soon assumed the captain’s armband from Southall. The goalkeeper was in little doubt his replacement could lead by example, if not seniority.

“You could fire a cannon ball at him and he would still be able to trap it and do something special. Simply having his name on the teamsheet was enough to inspire fear in the opposition, and millions of people around the world now know of Wales just because it’s the team he used to play for.”

While Giggs’