The fact Wales are now at the World Cup is something to be celebrated, so much so Cymru and the language is crossing the world, and as we can read here the language is being celebrated in Canada too. The English translation is below.

Cymru’n paratoi am Gwpan Pêl-droed y Byd am y tro cyntaf ers 64 mlynedd, cenedl wedi’i thrawsnewid Nid yw tîm pêl-droed Cymru wedi cymhwyso ar gyfer Cwpan y Byd ers 1958, ond maen nhw wedi dychwelyd yn ystod cyfnod pwysig i diwylliannol Gymru a’r iaith Gymraeg. Y tro diwethaf i Gymru gyrraedd Cwpan y Byd, roedd y wlad yn dal dan reolaeth Llundain, roedd baner Canada’n cynnwys Jac yr Undeb ac roedd Dwight D. Eisenhower yn y TÅ· Gwyn. Roedd hyn nid yn unig cyn geni Gareth Bale – seren yr asgell sydd wedi helpu Cymru i’w gogoniant diweddar – ond cyn geni ei fam hefyd.

Am chwe degawd, bu cefnogwyr Cymru’n dioddef anobaith a thor-calon, gan ddod o fewn trwch blewyn i gyrraedd twrnameintiau mawr, ond byth yn cyrraedd y nod. Yna, daeth 2015, a Chymru’n esgyn yn stratosfferig drwy’r rhengoedd o’r 117ed safle yn y byd i’r nawfed, gan arwain at gymhwyso ar gyfer Pencampwriaeth Ewrop 2016.

Bedair blynedd yn ddiweddarach, hawliodd Cymru ei lle yn Ewro 2020. Yna, ar 5 Mehefin, 2022, i gyfeiliant byddarol y dorf yng Nghaerdydd, cymhwysodd tîm Rob Page ar gyfer Cwpan y Byd am y tro cyntaf ers 1958.

“Dw i ddim yn credu mai gor-ddweud yw dweud mai dyma genhedlaeth aur pêl-droed Cymru,” meddai Tom Coleman, sy’n sgwennwr chwaraeon i Wales Online. “Ni fu pethau erioed mor dda â hyn.”

Yn gyntaf, daeth trydedd gyfres rhaglen “The Crown” ar Netflix, a oedd yn cynnwys sawl pennod wedi’u gosod yng Nghymru, gan gynnwys rhannau’n gyfan gwbl yn yr iaith Gymraeg. Nawr, mae “Welcome to Wrexham,” rhaglen ddogfen FX yn adrodd hynt a hanes clwb pêl-droed Wrecsam, a brynwyd yn ystod y pandemig gan yr actorion Rob McElhenney a Ryan Reynolds.

“Mae’r ddau wedi bod yn ceisio dyrchafu’r iaith go iawn, a jest atgyfnerthu’r neges, wyddoch chi, nad Lloegr yw Cymru: mae’n wlad ar wahân, mae ganddi ddiwylliant ar wahân ac mae ganddi iaith ar wahân,” meddai Maxine Hughes, newyddiadurwr wedi’i lleoli yn Washington D.C. sy’n gweithio fel dehonglydd a chynhyrchydd ar y rhaglen.

Am bron i ganrif, roedd y Gymraeg yn cael ei hatal yn weithredol gan lywodraeth Prydain, a hunaniaeth Gymreig yn cael ei gwthio i’r cyrion. Dechreuodd hyn newid yn y 1980au – ar ôl degawdau o drefnu ac ymgyrchu – ac yn 1997, pleidleisiodd Cymru o drwch blewyn dros senedd ddatganoledig. Yn ystod yr 20 mlynedd diwethaf, mae nifer y siaradwyr Cymraeg wedi codi o tua 500,000 i bron i filiwn heddiw, newid rhyfeddol i iaith a oedd unwaith yn cael ei gweld fel un a oedd ar ei ffordd i ddifodiant.

Mae tîm pêl-droed Cymru wedi cofleidio pwysigrwydd cynyddol y Gymraeg, gan glymu ei hun at hunaniaeth Gymreig mewn ffordd nad yw tîm rygbi’r wlad – sydd yn wrthrychol yn llawer mwy llwyddiannus, ers llawer hirach – erioed wedi gwneud.

Dywedodd Hughes y dylid rhoi llawer o’r clod am hyn i Noel Mooney, pennaeth Cymdeithas Bêl-droed Cymru ers 2021. “O Iwerddon mae Noel yn dod ac mae’n siarad Gwyddeleg, felly daeth i’r swydd gyda safbwynt gwahanol, gyda gwerthfawrogiad o’r iaith, y diwylliant, y cenedlaetholdeb, mewn ffordd na welodd Cymru o’r blaen,” meddai.

Dan arweiniad Mooney, mae Cymru wedi newid o ddefnyddio “Wales” i “Cymru” ar ddillad y tîm ac wedi mabwysiadu “Yma O Hyd” fel cân swyddogol ymgyrch Cwpan y Byd. Mae anthem genedlaetholgar Dafydd Iwan, y canwr gwerin digyffelyb, yn dathlu’r ffaith, “er gwaethaf pawb a phopeth, rydyn ni yma o hyd.”

Fel yr awgryma geiriau cân Iwan, mae hunaniaeth Gymreig yn aml wedi cofleidio statws y wlad fel ‘underdog’ dan ormes, ond does dim byd tebyg i ennill ar gyfer deffro angerdd y bobl. Ac mae Tîm Cymru wedi sicrhau buddugoliaethau toreithiog.

Ym mis Awst 2011, roedd Cymru yn safle 117 yn y byd, y tu ôl i Grenada, cenedl o ddim ond 125,000 o bobl. Roedd yn destun cywilydd i Gary Speed, cyn-chwaraewr rhyngwladol Cymru a oedd wedi cymryd yr awenau fel hyfforddwr ychydig fisoedd ynghynt, er bod y rhan fwyaf o’r colli wedi digwydd dan ei ragflaenwyr.

Nid oedd y safle ychwaith yn adlewyrchiad teg o’r newidiadau yr oedd Speed yn eu cyflwyno, megis dyrchafu Aaron Ramsey, a oedd yn ddim ond 20 mlwydd oed ar y pryd, yn gapten. Erbyn mis Rhagfyr y flwyddyn honno, roedd Cymru wedi dringo i 48ain ac wedi ennill gwobr “Best Mover” gan FIFA. Ond ni fyddai Speed yn cael rhannu’r bri hwn: cafwyd hyd iddo’n farw yn ei gartref ar Dachwedd 27, 2011. Nid yw achos y farwolaeth wedi’i gadarnhau’n llawn.

“Mae chwaraewyr o gyfnod Gary Speed a’i ddylanwad ar y tîm o ran lle’r ydyn ni nawr wedi bod yn anhygoel,” meddai Paul Corkery, pennaeth Football Supporters’ Association Cymru. Ni ddaeth llwyddiant ar unwaith; cyn hyn, dim ond ambell seren dalentog fu gan Dîm Cymru ar unrhyw adeg – Ryan Giggs, Ian Rush, Speed ei hun – ond yn fwyaf sydyn, dyma garfan genedlaethol yn llawn sêr. Ochr yn ochr â Ramsey roedd pêl-droedwyr yr Uwch Gynghrair, Joe Allen a Ben Davies, a Bale, a ystyrir yn eang fel un o asgellwyr gorau’r byd.

Cafodd llawer o chwaraewyr eu darganfod yn gyntaf gan Brian Flynn, cyn-reolwr tîm dan-21 Cymru, a gafodd y clod gan Coleman am “daflu’r rhwyd yn llawer ehangach o ran talent,” gan ddod o hyd i chwaraewyr ar draws Prydain a thu hwnt a oedd yn gymwys i gynrychioli Cymru.

Erbyn mis Medi 2015, ar ôl buddugoliaethau lu, roedd Cymru wedi codi i’w safle uchaf erioed, nawfed yn y byd. Fel pe na bai hyn yn ddigon melys, roedd Lloegr, archelyn tîm Cymru ym myd pêl-droed, yn 10fed yn y byd.

Mae llwyddiant yn meithrin llwyddiant, ac amlwg yw’r hyder sy’n llifo drwy’r garfan, gyda chwaraewyr yn dangos gwir falchder mewn chwarae dros Gymru, yn hytrach na rhyw deimlad o ddyletswydd amharod a deimlai rhai oedd gan Giggs ac eraill o’i genhedlaeth. Roedd Bale hyd yn oed wedi ennyn dicter ymysg cefnogwyr Real Madrid am ymddangos fel pe bai’n ffafrio ei gyfrifoldebau rhyngwladol dros y rhai a oedd ganddo i’r tîm La Liga.

“Mae chwarae dros Gymru yn cael ei weld fel pinacl i lot o’r chwaraewyr hyn, ac mae’n amlwg ar y cae,” meddai Coleman.

Yn Ewro 2016, cyrhaeddodd Tîm Cymru’r rownd gynderfynol. Colli 2-0 i Bortiwgal wnaethant, ond roedd yn uchafbwynt newydd i bêl-droed Cymru. Dilynwyd hyn gan gymhwyso ar gyfer Ewro 2020 ac yna Cwpan y Byd 2022, campau na ellid dychmygu eu cyflawni ddim ond ychydig flynyddoedd ynghynt. “Wnaethon ni ddim cymhwyso i dwrnamaint am flynyddoedd maith,” meddai Corkery. “Roedd mynd i wylio Cymru’n arfer bod yn dipyn o jôc, fe fydden ni’n colli 6-0 i Slofacia ac yn chwerthin drwy ein colled, nawr rydyn ni’n disgwyl ennill.”

Ni wyddom eto pa mor bell y bydd Cymru’n ei gyrraedd yn Qatar, a rhybuddiodd Coleman fod y wlad yn debygol o wynebu “cyfnod main ar ochr arall Cwpan y Byd,” wrth i chwaraewyr fel Bale a Ramsey ymddeol o’u dyletswyddau rhyngwladol.

Ond mae pêl-droed Cymru gryn dipyn yn gyfoethocach nag yr oedd o’r blaen – roedd cymhwyso ar gyfer Cwpan y Byd yn unig yn golygu bonws o $6.2 miliwn i ariannu’r gêm ar lawr gwlad ­­– ac mae diwygiadau i hyfforddiant a sgowtio y mae rheolwyr olynol ar ôl cyfnod Speed wedi’u cyflwyno eisoes yn talu ar eu canfed.

“Mae set-up tîm Cymru’n gyffredinol yn llawer mwy proffesiynol nag ydoedd yn y 1990au,” meddai Coleman. “Mae yna rai ifanc addawol yn dod drwodd, efallai bod angen peth amser arnyn nhw i ymsefydlu, ond os ydych chi’n sôn am lwyddiant o ran twf pêl-droed Cymru, dim ond parhau wnaiff hynny.”

I gefnogwyr cadair freichiau a ddechreuodd dalu sylw dim ond ar ôl Ewro 2016, efallai bod siom ar y gorwel, yn enwedig gan fygythiad y gêm Lloegr v. Cymru yn Qatar. Ond meddai Coleman, “mewn sawl ffordd, bron nad oes ots, mewn gwirionedd.”

“Yn amlwg mae cefnogwyr Cymru eisiau llwyddiant ac maen nhw eisiau eu tîm mewn twrnameintiau mawr, ond yn enwedig i’r cenedlaethau hÅ·n, mae’r ffaith syml ein bod ni’n sôn am bêl-droed Cymru heb iddo fod yn jôc bellach yn arwyddocaol,” meddai. “Mae pêl-droed Cymru wedi bod yn ffactor enfawr wrth helpu i gryfhau Cymru fel gwlad gyda’i hunaniaeth ei hun, ei diwylliant ei hun a’i llais ei hun.”

At World Cup 2022, Wales cheers for sporting success abroad and cultural resurgence at home
The Welsh soccer team hasn’t qualified for the World Cup since 1958, but they’ve returned just as Welsh language and culture are having a moment.

Wales preparing for the World Football Cup for the first time for 64 years, transformed nation Welsh football team has not qualified for the World Cup since 1958, but have returned during an important stage to cultural Wales and the Welsh language. The last time Wales arrived at the World Cup, the country was still under London control, the Canadian flag contained the Union Jack and Dwight D. Eisenhower was at the White House.

This was not only before birth Gareth Bale - the wing star who has helped Wales to his recent glory - but also before his mother. For six decades, Welsh fans suffered desperating and heart-heart, coming within a narrow tournament, but never reach the goal. Then, 2015 came, and Wales ascending straratospheric through the ranks of the 117th position in the world to the ninth, leading to qualifying for the European Championship 2016. Four years later, Wales claimed its place in Euro 2020. Then on 5 "Things have never been as good as this." In addition to the joy, this greatness comes in the sport during an important cultural period for Wales. First, the third series of "The Crown" program on Netflix, which included several chapters installed in Wales, including parts altogether in the Welsh language.

Now, "Welcome to Wrexham," FX document reports the progress and history of Wrexham Football Club, purchased during the pandemic by the actors Rob Mcelhenney and Ryan Reynolds. "Both have been trying to raise the real language, and just reinforce the message, you know, England is not England: It is a separate country, has a separate culture and has a separate language," said Maxine Hughes, a journalist based in Washington D. who works as an interpreter and producer on the program. For almost a century, Welsh was actively suspended by the British Government, and Welsh identity being marginalized. This started to change in the 1980s - after decades of organizing and campaigning - and in 1997, Wales thickly voted over a devolved parliament. During the last 20 years, the number of Welsh speakers has risen from around 500,000 to almost a million today, a remarkable change for language that once seen as one that was on its way to extinction.

The Football Wales team has embraced the growing importance of Welsh, tying itself to Welsh identity in a way that the country's rugby team - which is objective is much more successful, for much longer - never done. Hughes said that much of the credit for this to Noel Mooney, Head of Football Association for Wales since 2021. "From Ireland Noel comes and speaks Irish, so came to the job with a different perspective, with an appreciation of the language, the culture, the nationalism Led by Mooney, Wales has changed from using "Wales" to "Wales" on team clothing and has adopted "here still" as an official song of the World Cup campaign. Dafydd Iwan's nationalist anthem, the unprecedented folk singer, celebrates the fact, "Despite everyone and everything, we're here still." As Iwan's song words suggest, a Welsh identity has often embraced the country's status as 'Underdog' under oppression, but there is nothing like winning for waking the people passion. And Team Wales has secured abundant victories.

In August 2011, Wales was a position 117 in the world, behind Grenada, a nation of just 125,000 people. He was embarrassed for Gary Speed, former Welsh International Player who had taken over as a trainer a few months earlier, although most of the loss had occurred under his predecessors. Nor was the site a fair reflection of the changes that Speed was introduced, such as Aaron Ramsey promotion, which was only 20 years old at the time, captain. By December that year, Wales had climbed to 48th and won a "Best Mover" award from FIFA. But SPEED would not share this prestige: it was found dead at his home on November 27, 2011. The cause of death has not been fully confirmed. "Players of Gary Speed and his influence on the team in terms of where we have now been amazing," said Paul Corkery, Head Football Supporters' Association Wales.

No success came immediately; Prior to this, the Welsh team had only a few talented star - Ryan Giggs, Ian Rush, Speed itself - but most quickly, this is a national cohort full of stars. Alongside Ramsey the Premier League Footballers, Joe Allen and Ben Davies, Ben, Bail, which is widely regarded as one of the world's best wingers. Many players were first discovered by Brian Flynn, former under-21 Wales team manager, who had the credit by Coleman for "throwing the net much wider in talent," found players across Britain and beyond. By September 2015, after many victories, Wales had risen to its highest ever, ninth world. As if this was not sweet enough, England, against Wales Team in football, was 10th in the world. Success fosters success, and obvious is the confidence flowing through the cohort, with players showing real pride in playing for Wales, rather than some feeling of reluctant duty that felt those by Giggs and others from her generation. Bail had even generated anger among Real Madrid supporters for appearing as if he favored international responsibilities for those who had to the LA Liga team. "Play for Wales is seen as pinnacle to lot from these players, and is clearly on the field," Coleman said. In Euro 2016, the Wales team reached the semi-final. Losing 2-0 to Portugal did, but it was a new highlight for Welsh football.

This was followed by qualifying for Euro 2020 and then 2022 World Cup, sports could not imagine only a few years earlier. "We didn't apply to a tournament for many years," said Corkery. "Got to watch Wales used to be a bit of a joke, we would lose 6-0 to Slovakia and laugh through our loss, now we expect to win." We do not yet know how far Wales will reach in Qatar, and Coleman warned that the country is likely to face "slender period on the other side of the World Cup," as players like Bale and Ramsey retire from their international duties. But Welsh football is significantly richer than it was before - applied for the World Cup alone meant a bonus of $ 6.2 million to fund the game on the ground - and there are amendments to training and scouting that successive managers after speen period. "The Wales General Team set-up is much more professional than it was in the 1990s," Coleman said. "There are promising young people coming through, they may need some time to settle, but if you are talking about success in Welsh football growth, just continue that." For armchair fans who started paying attention only after Euro 2016, there may be disappointment on the horizon, especially by the threat of the English game v. Wales in Qatar. But Coleman said, "In many ways, almost no matter, really." "Clearly Welsh fans want success and want their team in large tournaments, but especially for older generations, the simple fact that we talk about Football Wales without being a joke now significant," he said. "Football Wales has been a huge factor in helping to strengthen Wales as a country with its own identity, its own culture and voice itself."

James Griffiths is Asia correspondent for The Globe and Mail and author of The Great Firewall of China: How to build and control an alternative version of the internet and Speak Not: Empire, identity and the politics of language. He also writes Harmonized, an occasional newsletter on censorship and internet freedom. Before joining The Globe in 2021, James was a senior producer for CNN International. He has reported from across Asia, including Hong Kong, China, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and South Korea. Originally from Wales, James lives in Hong Kong.

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