A reality check? A blessing in disguise?

July 2025 may well provide a clearer picture of exactly where Rhian Wilkinson's Wales are.

And while her troops signed off ahead of the trip to Switzerland with the worst result of the Wilkinson era so far, the Nations League campaign proved Wales have made significant strides under the 43-year-old.

The 4-1 loss to Italy at the Swansea.com Stadium on Tuesday night was Wales' fifth defeat under Wilkinson, but the first by more than a one-goal margin.

There is also the caveat that Wales had already been consigned to relegation from League A following their controversial 1-0 loss to Denmark in Odense four days earlier.

But the opening half against the Italians in Swansea may well have given some a timely wake-up call ahead of daunting group stage tests against Netherlands, France and England next month.

Assessing the first 45 minutes of the contest, former Wales captain Kath Morgan told BBC Radio Wales: "It was painful."

She added: "If you mark like that in the box . . .  I coach 17-year-olds and if they mark like that I’d be sending them home.

"At this level it's unforgivable, not to mark a player in the box. I don't care who you are and where you are."

Again, it could well be a timely lesson for Wilkinson, her coaching staff and players before they make their tournament debut against the Dutch at Luzern's Allmend Stadion on July 5.

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To their credit, Wales improved in the second half and saw taliswoman Jess Fishlock - who started the game on the bench - score a 35-yard stunner to give the home faithful something to cheer on an otherwise disappointing and frustrating night.

The debrief of both the Italy game and the Nations League campaign as a whole will have begun in earnest as Wilkinson bids to get her squad in prime position to cause a few upsets in Switzerland next month.

She will take huge heart from the opening five matches of the campaign, particularly the pair of 1-1 draws against Sweden.

The two losses to Denmark also provided plenty of encouraging moments for Wales, particularly the recent away defeat where Wales rightly felt aggrieved that neither VAR or goal-line technology were in operation to award Fishlock a goal in the opening half when the score was locked at 0-0.

Italy may well have been the surprise package of the group and twice showed against Wales that they really could be dark horses at the Euros.

But regularly playing against such established opposition will only have benefitted Wilkinson's side ahead of their Euros bow, and it will have helped to give a truer sense of the scale of the task that lies ahead of them in Europe.

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Despite being 38 years of age and having injury troubles of late, Fishlock remains a player who can provide a crucial moment of magic, as evidenced in the loss to Italy, and, slightly further back, in both legs of the play-off semi-final against Slovakia when she has just returned from injury.

Liverpool's Ceri Holland has cemented her place as a crucial cog in the machine while midfielder Sophie Ingle will play an enormous leadership role – hopefully, on the pitch, too - in ensuring Wales are prepared for what lies ahead of them in July.

Wilkinson will announce her squad at the summit of Yr Wyddfa, the country's highest peak, on June 19 before heading to the Algarve in Portugal for a pre-tournament training camp.

Few expect Wales to progress out of Group D, while many will doubt their ability to even win a match in Switzerland.

But there is no denying that the team is in a far better place as a result of Wilkinson's tenure to date.

And the dreamers can point to the men's side's astonishing run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 as inspiration and proof that the script book isn't always followed in tournament football.

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