Rhiannon Roberts opens up on move from Liverpool to Real Betis

There’s no doubting that there were one or two eyebrows raised after Rhiannon Roberts’ move to the south of Spain.

Towards the end of the season, it was announced that Roberts was to depart Liverpool after five years at the club.

“I was ready to leave. I’m quite a loyal player and had really long stints at all the clubs that I’ve been at.

“I’ve had a good five years at Liverpool. I’ve played in every position going apart from number nine. I was backup goalkeeper for a few games in the Super League one season too! I just fancied a new challenge.”

And that new challenge will be at Real Betis, one of Spain’s most historic clubs.

Los Verdiblancos finished the Liga F season in 12^th place last season, and the marauding full back can’t wait to throw herself into her new adventure.

“I just fancied something different. A different culture, a different language, I’m really looking forward to learning the language. I want to test myself against the best and do something completely different to what I’m used to.

“They are a massive club. All the history that goes with it and it was amazing to be able to go over to the ground and to see everything in the trophy room and go out on the pitch and everything like that was unreal. It just showed me what this club was all about.”

With her move to a new club secured, Roberts, along with the rest of the squad, can prepare for the upcoming friendly against the USA.

The match out in San Jose will be Cymru’s final game before the Nations League campaign kicks off away in Iceland, and Roberts says it’s the perfect way to head into the new tournament.

“We’re looking forward to testing ourselves against the best in the world. If you play better teams, you’re going to get better yourselves, and because we’re in the top league of the Nations League we’ll be playing the best there as well. Sunday is a good place to start.”

The USA are famed for being the standard bearers in women’s football, with the popularity of the game always being high.

The game in Wales is rapidly growing; with crowds up and teams going semi-pro, the Betis player believes Cymru can aim to reach the heights set by the United States.

“From the start of the campaign having about 500 fans to end of it having 15,000 fans, that’s a big jump in one campaign. That’s all thanks to our media team and everything people are doing behind the scenes as well.

“The game has grown a lot since the Euros and with the World Cup around the corner, that will encourage more girls to go and play football.”

To be invited by the four-time World Champions to play in their send off game before they attempt to win their third straight World Cup speaks volumes about how far this Wales team has come.

18,000 fans will pack into PayPal Park to see their heroes off to Australia and New Zealand.

For many of Wales’ players, the chance to play the current World Champions on their own patch may only ever happen once.

For Roberts, while she admits she may not take everything in until after the final whistle, admitted it’s other things in life that have made her adore the game even more.

The former Liverpool defender coaches numerous age group teams at Lancashire Player Development.

She opened up about a recent trip with the team, and how it’s made her appreciate what she gets to do even more.

“We went away with the club I coach to Madrid about a month ago. The players only had about three hours of sleep a day because they were running up and down the hotel most of the time.

“But we did go to the Real Madrid training ground, and they were absolutely buzzing. The smiles on their faces were unbelievable.

“I was just thinking, they’ve had about three hours of sleep, and I sat in the dugout watching them being coached, and it’s moments like that that make you appreciate everything.

“Like that’s my job, I go to here, there, and everywhere but being there was such a pinch me moment and made me appreciate everything that I’ve got.”

Featured Image: Lewis Mitchell