Chris Coleman believes Wales are on the brink of' 'something special' and beating Belgium would prove it as victory would put them among the top seeds for next month's 2018 World Cup draw.
It would cap a remarkable rise for Wales as four years ago, when the 2014 World Cup draw was made, they were ranked 112th in the world and in the bottom band of seeds.
They had sunk so low they were actually beneath the Faroe Islands and in the same pot as Andorra, Kazakhstan and San Marino - and Wales manager Coleman admits the prospect of joining European super-powers like Italy and Germany as top seeds at the St Petersburg draw is an enticing one.
"In my industry we're told to play everything down. Never look past the next game, which I don't," Coleman said, ahead of the Euro 2016 qualifier with Belgium in Cardiff on Friday night.
"But we're in this situation and it's a possibility. It's something to look forward to - so why play it down? That will be great if we do it."
Wales were seeded fourth for the current Euro 2016 tournament behind Bosnia-Hergovina, Belgium and Israel but have climbed steadily up the rankings after reaching the halfway point of the qualifying campaign unbeaten.
Coleman's side are now 22nd on the FIFA table and have lost only once in 10 matches, a 2-0 friendly defeat to Holland more than 12 months ago.
Belgium, ranked second in the world and packed with household names, present one of their biggest tests yet but Wales held them to a goalless draw in Brussels last November.
That result, in particular, gave the nation belief that the current crop of players could end Wales' 58-year wait to appear at a major tournament and Coleman was in no mood to dilute that expectation ahead of a 33,000 sell-out at the Cardiff City Stadium.
"We haven't just got the talent on the pitch, we've got the mentality off it and that's why I believe this group will do something special," Coleman said.
"We haven't qualified since 1958, so it's not as if we're following the last team before us, and we've got to prove to ourselves that we're good enough.
"We haven't always played well but we've always been difficult to beat.
"After this game there are another 12 points to play for and if we win it doesn't guarantee us anything, but we'll be in a great position."
Wales must show the same defensive resolve they exhibited in Brussels seven months ago and the loss of Newcastle full-back Paul Dummett (hamstring) has further stretched a department already without Ben Davies and James Collins.
But Coleman is still able to call on the back-four which played at the King Baudouin Stadium - Chris Gunter, Ashley Williams, James Chester and Neil Taylor - and will once again pin the country's attacking hopes on Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale, who has scored four of Wales' seven goals in qualifying so far.
"Gareth knows with his capabilities that he can change the game in a second in a good way for us. And I think he thrives on that," Coleman said.
"What he wants to do is impress his team-mates first and do it for Wales.
"There will be a lot of support here and I think that will be his audience that he's looking to please, if that's the best way to put it.
"I don't think he'll be thinking worldwide because he knows he is a great player."
Source: PA
