THE Welsh squad have defended their celebrations of England’s elimination from Euro 2106 on Monday night, insisting it was partly joy at their being the last home nation in the tournament, and partly delight for Iceland.

A video showing the Wales players celebrating went viral an hour or so after England’s 2-1 defeat in Nice, but yesterday defender Chris Gunter insisted it was not meant to be disrespectful. “It certainly wasn't a video to show any lack of respect,” the Reading right-back said.

“I think it's fantastic for the tournament that another smaller nation have progressed through - another team that were probably written off before a ball was kicked.

"But it certainly wasn't meant [as] a lack of respect. There's a lot of people in the squad who know players from the England side. It certainly wasn't meant in that way and I think the main feeling after the final whistle - and probably in a selfish way from the squad - was generally a real pride that we're the last team from the home nations to be in the tournament."

Two Wales-based players had key roles in the Icelanders’ victory - Swansea's Gylfi Sigurdsson and Cardiff’s Aron Gunnarsson. Neil Taylor, a team-mate of Sigurdsson’s, explained he had followed the fortunes of the tournament’s smallest nation from the start. "As a squad we follow the underdogs in this tournament, from Albania to Hungary, as a breath of fresh air," Taylor said.

"Iceland were written off as well. I know Gylfi. He has explained to me about Iceland, what they are all about. We saw that when they qualified and in this tournament they have been unbelievable.

"That was half of the celebrations, because of how well Iceland have done, [but] I understand how it has come across. As a group of players we've supported Iceland all along."

Wales’s next match is the quarter-final against Belgium in Lille on Friday night. By the time that game kicks off they will know their potential opponents in the last four, as Portugal and Poland play in Marseille tomorrow night in the first of the last-eight ties.

Germany and Italy then meet in the biggest match of the quarter-finals in Bordeaux on Saturday night, before the round is brought to a close the following evening when France try to bring Iceland’s dream run to an end when the two countries meet in the Stade de France.