Big players return and youth given chance

Independent

05-06-2025

Wales resume their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign at home to group minnows Liechtenstein on Friday.
Craig Bellamy's side took four points from their opening two games against Kazakhstan and North Macedonia in March.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the main talking points surrounding the Cardiff City Stadium clash.
Flaming June
Summer fixtures have proved a major problem for Wales in recent years.
Euro 2024 qualification hopes were seriously damaged by defeats to Armenia – then ranked 97th in the world – and Turkey two years ago, and manager Rob Page lost his job after an embarrassing goalless draw with Gibraltar and a 4-0 beating in Slovakia last June.
Slipping up against Liechtenstein, who are 205th out of FIFA's 210 ranked nations, would top those disasters, and boss Bellamy will be keen to brush them aside ahead of Monday's challenging test with Belgium in Brussels.
Big players are back
Ethan Ampadu and Harry Wilson, arguably Wales' two most important players, are available again after missing the March qualifiers through injury.
Leeds captain Ampadu has not played for his country since September due to knee issues, with Bellamy saying Wales do not possess another player with the midfielder's 'number six profile'.
Fulham forward Wilson has been on fire since Bellamy took charge, scoring four times in six games as Wales won promotion to the top tier of the Nations League last autumn.
No Allen farewell
Wales great Joe Allen has retired since the last international camp, calling time on a 77-cap career which saw the former Swansea, Liverpool and Stoke midfielder play at a World Cup and two European Championships.
Allen had previously retired from international football in February 2023 before Bellamy persuaded him to return to the Wales fold last autumn.
There had been suggestions Allen would prolong his career to make one final Wales appearance in Cardiff, but Bellamy paid tribute to the 35-year-old saying: 'Joe has been one of our greatest players. All I could do was just thank him for this period.'
New kids on the block
At a time when Desire Doue and Lamine Yamal have proved on the biggest stage that if you are good enough, you are old enough, Wales are nurturing their own young talent.
Full-back Ronan Kpakio has been promoted from the Under-19 squad after just six appearances and one league start for Cardiff, while Leeds midfielder Charlie Crew, also 18, is included as well.
Whether the pair receive game-time against Liechtenstein remains to be seen, but Bellamy is keen to fast-track high-potential youngsters for them to have experience of the senior environment.
Payback chance on Liechtenstein trolls
Wales were at a low point last summer after Gibraltar's part-timers held them to a 0-0 friendly draw in Portugal.
But that did not stop the official Liechtenstein X account poking fun at the Dragons with a spot of trolling online.
'Hello! Shall we schedule a friendly match?' proclaimed a nation without a competitive victory since 2020. The World Cup draw ensured there was no need for that – and now Wales have the perfect chance for revenge.