Giggs: Born in Cardiff (CraigPrentis/Allsport)

Former England schoolboy international Giggs will continue his long quest to take Wales to a major championship when he lines up for Mark Hughes' side against Italy.

But Giggs, who was born in Cardiff and lived there until he was seven, is infuriated by suggestions he could have played for England, something he claims could never have happened.

Giggs said: `I'd rather go through my entire career without qualifying for a major championships than play for a country where I wasn't born and neither I or either of my parents had anything to do with. That's just stupid.'

Giggs went north with his parents when he was seven and his father became a professional rugby league player. Since then Giggs has always lived in the Salford area, where first Manchester City and then Manchester United offered him the chance to progress.

Giggs, 29 next month, said: `The problem came because I played for England Schoolboys. But that was because I went to school in England, no other reason, that was the criteria for selection, not where you were born.

`What has bugged me more than anything in my career is to keep on hearing people say I chose to play for Wales. I still hear it, people discussing it on the radio even now, it's very, very annoying for me.

`It's the question that has bugged me most for the last 10 years or so. I am Welsh, 100 percent. End of story. Both my parents and all my grandparents are Welsh. It's as simple as that, it's impossible for me to play for England.'

Giggs will win his 38th Wales cap against Italy and he said: `If Italy are at their best there's not many weaknesses, I've played against a lot of these lads over the years in the Champions League and they are outstanding.

`They have people like Alessandro del Piero who can destroy teams with a goal or a pass. They have players who can turn a game and we need to stop them doing that.

`But all the best players don't make the best team and hopefully that will be the case on Wednesday. But they are very professional, they will have done their homework on us and they'll know they won't get any favours here.

`Individually they are exceptional players, especially at the back, but we know that if we are at our best we can hurt them.