Hughes’s request is understandable given the imbalance of power between the two teams. At that time, Brazil topped the FIFA rankings. Meanwhile, Wales was stranded in 101st place, competing against countries like Vietnam and Barbados.
He also referred to previous experiences. Wales was able to defeat Brazil in their previous visit in 1991 on a narrow field with long grass.
Unfortunately, Hughes’s approach did not yield positive results. Brazil was too strong for Wales and triumphed 3-0 thanks to goals from Giovane Elber, Rivaldo, and Cafu.