26th of October 2021, Wales v Estonia, and in the 61st minute, Leicester City’s Hannah Cain comes on in place of Helen Ward to make her Wales debut.
In the build-up to the game at the Cardiff City Stadium, Cain was excited about the prospect of donning the red shirt, and referenced her grandfather as a source of inspiration to play for Wales.
The forward was bright and sprightly when she crossed the white line. She wasn’t afraid to take on her marker, and she was a source for excitement for the Wales fans gathered in attendance.
The future looked bright, but only a month later, Cain tore her ACL and was ruled out for the rest of the season.
The forward wouldn’t be able to contribute to Wales’ World Cup charge, a difficult outcome to come terms with.
“I was really grateful I could still be a part of the team and around the environment.
“But when the games were happening, you always sit on the side and think, what can I do if I come on, but obviously I couldn’t do that.
“So, I just sat there and thought, what an opportunity it would be if I was playing, what an impact I could have.”
As the campaign meandered towards its conclusion, Hannah had progressed well in her recovery, and a chance to feature in the final qualifiers against Greece and Slovenia was on.
That was until the winds of fate once again blew against Cain.
“I was eight and a half months post op, and I was a couple of weeks away from being back in full training.
“I went out to do one of my last sessions before being in training. I was only jogging, and I heard a rip.
“It was like a piece of paper. It was horrendous. I had never even heard anything when I did my knee. I had no idea what it was. I just instantly felt pain, and I ended up tearing my hamstring tendon.
“So that ended up keeping me out for another four months.”
15 whole months Cain was out for, enough to test the mental fortitude of any player, regardless of their experience or age.
“I had 15 months with just me, myself, and I. It was annoying for sure, and I feel sorry for the person I end up being with for life, God bless them!
“You have to be a real strong character to get yourself through at certain times, you lean on your family and friends to help you of course.
“But I was not comfortable being in my head for so long and you are literally in it for every single hour of the day.
“For eight and a half months was thinking that I could be back for the last qualifying games for the World Cup.
“But when I did the other injury, I didn’t really have anything. The last five months of that was probably the hardest thing, but for sure I learned a hell of a lot about myself in the last 15 months.”
After all the setbacks, near misses and months in the gym, Wales’ first Pinatar Cup game against the Philippines saw Cain return to the international stage.
“It felt like my debut again. It’s been so long since I was last out on that pitch. I can never describe the feeling that I get when I put the shirt on, it’s an absolute honour.
“I’m a little bit overwhelmed but super excited that I get to play this time.”
Hannah Cain’s story is one that’s enough to inspire and warm even the coldest of hearts, and hopefully, on behalf of every Wales and football fan, the forward will start many more games for Cymru and get on the scoresheet.
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