FORMER Ysgol Penglais pupil Hannah Miles has been selected for the Wales Women’s squad at the 2018 Cyprus Cup tournament.

The competition starts for Wales against Finland on 28 February, and Miles has been selected as part of the 24-strong squad after being involved last year as well.

This is the third year in succession that Wales have competed at the tournament, and the four fixtures will form a crucial part of the Wales team’s preparations for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier at England in April.

Wales conceded just once in four games during the Cyprus Cup tournament last year, and the defensive improvement has continued into the current World Cup qualifying campaign.

“Being called up is such an honour, and playing for my country is a proud moment for me and my family,” said the Yeovil player, who played in a narrow 1-0 defeat to Chelsea last week.

“It’s going to be tough as we’re in the top group this year, but we want to compete against the top nations. Switzerland will be a very tough test for us; they’re an excellent team but we will prepare accordingly.

“Anything can happen in these cup competitions, although with our current form I’m feeling confident.”

Twelve nations will once again compete for the Cyprus Cup this year, and once the three groups of four have been completed, a further round of games will take place on the final day to decide the standings.

Last year Wales were denied a 5th place finish through a penalty shoot-out defeat to Scotland.

Wales have been placed in Group A, alongside Finland, Italy and Switzerland, and will be keen to improve on last year’s sixth place.

“We’re always trying to better ourselves and trying to improve on our position from last year is a massive part of that,” added Miles, who already has eight senior caps for Wales.

“We want to play and compete against the best teams and I believe that this team can get the results.”

Hannah, who is also a former pupil of Ysgol Rhydypennau, started playing football at the age of six, and was a member of Bow Street Juniors until she was 16, before going on to play for Aberystwyth Town, Cwmbran and Cardiff City.

The 19 year-old had attended the FAW performance centre since the age of 13, before joining the FAW Elite Football Academy.

She has also represented Wales at Under 15s, Under 16s, Under 17s, Under 18s and Under 19s age groups .

After being selected to play for the Wales senior team in a friendly against Republic of Ireland, in which she was named as the Player of the Match, she gained her first senior Wales cap in the Euro Qualifying match in September against Israel in 2016.

Last September, Miles joined fellow Wales international player Laura O’Sullivan in joining Yeovil, who play in the Women’s Super League One.

Captain Sophie Ingle will again lead a Wales squad that includes centurion Jess Fishlock, while the Welsh Premier Women’s League is represented by Swansea City’s Ellie Lake and the Cyncoed duo of Gwen Davies and Laura O’Sullivan.

Lake and Davies are two of three uncapped players named, along with Elise Hughes of Everton Ladies, while Amina Vine, Alice Griffiths and Nadia Lawrence will represent the Wales Performance Squad.

Helen Ward and Charlie Estcourt both scored Wales in each of the last two Cyprus Cup tournaments, and are included in Jayne Ludlow’s squad of 24 players.

In World Cup qualifying, Ludlow’s side sit top of Group One after four games and are yet to concede a goal at the midway point. After the match against England, Wales will finish with three home games during the summer.Thanks to tbgwales.com for sourcing the quotes at the FAW training camp.