Rhodri Evans

It is easy to forget the sheer drama of Wales’ last World Cup qualifying match.

With David Brooks’ 96th minute equaliser saving his team following a Joe Allen error had seemingly gifted North Macedonia the victory, Wales are still well in contention for a place at the next World Cup.

Despite that 1-1 at North Macedonia only being played in March, with so much domestic football packed in between then and the next two matches in June, it can be disorientating to switch back to the other so soon after the final weeks of the season.

As has become commonplace in Wales squads in recent years, this time around the team is shorn of two of its most experienced midfielders, Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen, who are absent for differing reasons.

Ramsey’s recent foray into management – a brief three-game spell as caretaker of Cardiff City – was unfortunately unsuccessful, as the Bluebirds were relegated to League One for the first time since 2003.

Despite the change of job, Ramsey confirmed that he still has the ambition to continue playing for Wales and has the target of the 2026 World Cup firmly in his sights.

“There is still unfinished business,” Ramsey asserted.

“There is a lot still to play for, and that World Cup is a massive carrot being dangled. That’s what I will be focusing on [after the season].

“I’m trying to get back from a hamstring injury. I will be straight into rehab after the season finishes, that’s for sure.”

The 34-year-old, who is technically still the captain of the side, has not appeared in the red of Wales since last September, or the blue of Cardiff since this March. With a hamstring injury expected to keep him out of action into preseason this summer, his future is uncertain.

For Allen, by contrast, his future is settled. It was confirmed on May 2nd that the 35-year-old had retired from professional football, having made 77 appearances for Wales.

The Swansea midfielder had previously retired from international football after the 2022 World Cup, but was convinced to reverse that decision by Bellamy, and played twice more for Wales last autumn.

Without these two modern icons of the Welsh midfield, Bellamy will have to rely on those who have become his lieutenants in his early matches.

Ethan Ampadu, who has recently captained Leeds United to their Championship winning promotion campaign, is the shoe-in for the sitting role in the middle of the park. His ability to pick a pass and turn under pressure are vital for how Bellamy wants Wales to play, and he was missed during the March internationals when he was out through injury.

Despite the fact that the former Chelsea player plays a centre half for Leeds – alongside fellow Welshman Joe Rodon – Ampadu can switch between positions seamlessly. He will be the odds-on favourite to be captain when Ramsey retires.

Slightly further up the pitch, Josh Sheehan was quietly excellent against Kazakhstan and North Macedonia, while Harry Wilson – who has had a quietly excellent season at Fulham – is fundamental to the fluidity of Wales’ attack.

Jordan James is another promising option, increasing able to affect the game both on and off the ball. His passing range after coming on against Kazakhstan was eye-catching.

Even with these options, Bellamy is stepping into the unknown with regards to Wales’ midfield.

Perhaps that is why his squad – without its Premier League regulars – has travelled to Spain for a warm weather training camp.

Wilson, along with Tottenham duo Ben Davies and Brennan Johnson were not able to make the trip with the Premier League not finishing until May 25th.

Daniel James, Karl Darlow, Ampadu, and Rodon, all fresh off the back of winning the Championship with Leeds United, are included in a group of 29 players.

The Football Association of Wales says the training camp will allow Bellamy and his staff to “view players that have been involved in the senior team, U21 and U19 squads across the 2024-25 season.”

The group, which includes Manchester United youngster Gabriele Biancheri and 17-year-old Cardiff City defender Ronan Kpakio, trained in Cardiff until Sunday, 18 May, before flying to Spain to spend four days in Alicante.

Despite a nod to the future with his squad selections, there is no doubting the ambitions of Bellamy: qualify – and more importantly – compete at the 2026 World Cup.

In order to complete that mission, Wales must first qualify for the tournament. A win and a draw over Kazakhstan and North Macedonia respectively was a solid start and Belgium’s Nations League exploits means that Cymru have a four-point advantage on the top seeds.

Wales welcome winless Lichtenstein to Cardiff on June 6 before travelling to Brussels for the toughest test of Bellamy’s side yet: Belgium away. If they can pick up another four points from this international break, then Wales will be well on their way to another major tournament.

For Bellamy, his focus ever since becoming the Wales head coach has been crystal clear.

“We want to go to a World Cup,” stressed Bellamy after the 4-1 win over Iceland back in November.

“We’ve got to get that ticked off. If we get there, we want to then be competing.

“These players deserve to be there competing because of their buy-in.”

Bellamy’s team selections were increasingly difficult to predict during the UEFA Nations League campaign, often catching the fans as much as the opposition off guard.

A more settled approach is expected for the upcoming campaign, player availability permitting, while the high intensity style will no doubt to remain the same as Bellamy forges a national team in the image of his own playing style and character.

“We’ve been building towards this over the last few games,” he added.

“Changing the shape in games, we got to around about nine with and without the ball, so that allows us to adapt and be flexible.

“It has to be step-by-step, and the next game is the most important one now.”

Sportin Wales’s coverage of Wales’s World Cup qualifying campaign is proudly sponsored by S4C. You can watch all of Wales’s matches this year for free on S4C and S4C Clic.

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