Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was key to Ryan Giggs committing to Wales.

Trefor Lloyd-Hughes, president of the Football Association of Wales, said that in 1990 he was given the task of approaching the United boss to get Giggs, who had already captained England schoolboys, to choose Wales for his full international career.

But Lloyd-Hughes admitted the only regret was that the 39-year-old had never managed to play in a World Cup finals.

"The annoying part is that we couldn't help Ryan to go on the world stage and compete at that level," he said.