Rhiannon Roberts: Real Betis and Wales defender relishes club and country tests
- Published
'I wish I'd put my name forward for Wales sooner' - Rhiannon Roberts
International women's friendly: USA v Wales |
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Venue: PayPal Park, San Jose Date: Sunday, 9 July Kick-off: 21:00 BST |
Coverage: Live on BBC One Wales, BBC Radio Wales and live text commentary on BBC Sport website & app. |
Wales defender Rhiannon Roberts says she is relishing the chance to test herself "against the best" for club and country after signing for Real Betis.
Roberts, 32, is part of the Wales squad preparing for Sunday's eye-catching friendly against world champions USA in San Jose.
She will then turn her attention to the Spanish top flight, having left Liverpool for a two-year deal at Betis.
"I think I'd been at Liverpool a bit too long," Roberts said.
"Real Betis is something new for me. I am excited to go and play a new style of football and I am excited to test myself against the best and to get on the ball a little bit.
"I wanted to try something different - embrace a new culture and learn a new language.
"I am embracing all that. I don't want to just go there and focus on football. I want to enjoy the lifestyle and learn the language. I am looking forward to every part of it."
Roberts is to sample the Spanish top flight - in which Betis finished ninth last season - after making almost 100 appearances during five years at Liverpool.
Her immediate focus is the USA friendly, as Wales prepare to play outside Europe for the first time in their history.
Gemma Grainger's team were invited to face the Americans in what is their farewell fixture before the World Cup, which begins in Australia and New Zealand later this month.
The USA, number one in the Fifa rankings, are looking to win a third successive World Cup.
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"We are excited to be here. We are excited for the game and for the show they are going to put on," Roberts said.
"But our main focus is everything on the pitch. We are happy to challenge ourselves against the best in the world.
"There's only one way of getting better and that's by taking on the best teams."
For Wales, the USA friendly represents a warm-up ahead of the demanding Nations League campaign which is to come later this year.
Grainger's side face home and away fixtures against Germany, Iceland and Denmark between September and December.
Roberts believes Wales have the quality to live with the top nations in the women's game.
"We don't see ourselves as the underdogs anymore," she said.
"We have always had that belief that we can compete against the big nations. I think we have shown that in the last couple of campaigns.
"This is another step for us before we start the Nations League games in September."
You can hear more from Rhiannon Roberts on BBC Radio Wales' Rob Phillips and Molly Stephens Show, from 14:00 BST on Saturday, 8 July.