As Craig Bellamy gears up for his first major test as Wales head coach, the debate about his team is heating up.

On Saturday, Wales host Kazakhstan in their first qualifying match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with a trip to North Macedonia to follow on Tuesday.

With key players Ethan Ampadu, Aaron Ramsey, and Harry Wilson missing through injury, the midfield in particular looks a little light. Let’s take a guess at who Bellamy will pick for Wales’s opener.

Goalkeeper – Danny Ward

Bellamy experimented with his goalkeepers throughout the Nations League, alternating between Danny Ward and Karl Darlow, starting them in three games each.

Ward was Rob Page’s trusted number one and, while his form at club level is patchy, he very rarely let his country down between the sticks.

Darlow, similar to Ward, is not getting much game time at club level, stuck behind ever-unconvincing Illan Meslier. He performed well last autumn, keeping clean sheets against Turkey and Montenegro, but is not enough of a clear step above Ward in quality.

Right back – Connor Roberts

Roberts is about as close to a certain pick in Bellamy’s side, due to his excellent club form and experience of the manager’s coaching and style of play.

The Burnley right back has helped his side concede an extraordinarily low number of goals in the Championship this season – 11 in 38 game at time of writing – and is perfect for Bellamy’s system, capable of tucking inside and recycling possession diligently.

Centre Back – Joe Rodon

With vice-captain Ben Davies at lock on the left side of the defence, Bellamy has another very tight call on who should partner him in the middle of the back four.

Both Joe Rodon and Chris Mepham have been key parts of very good Championship sides at Leeds and Sunderland respectively, while Swansea’s recent downturn in form probably rules Ben Cabango out of the reckoning.

Rodon makes this team as he is the perfect foil for the more cultured Davies next him.

Centre Back – Ben Davies

With captain Aaron Ramsey out injured, Davies will captain the side as he nears the 100 cap mark.

The embodiment of a modern defender, Davies has transitioned from left back to centre half with typical ease, and is still a big part of Tottenham’s increasingly creaky defence.

Bellamy will hope that Davies is still playing his best football come the summer of 2026, and he is remains the cornerstone of the Wales defence.

Left Back – Neco Williams

Another virtual guarantee in this team is Neco Williams. He’s had to fight for his spot in an excellent Nottingham Forest defence, but is now a regular at left back in a team that has kept clean sheets against Arsenal and Manchester City in recent weeks.

Always dangerous going forward, Williams’ performance up against Mo Salah in Forest’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool in January earnt him serious praise for his defensive effort in successfully combatting the best attacker in Europe.

Centre Midfield – Jordan James

With Ampadu and Ramsey out, James is the only Rob Page regular in midfield available to Bellamy.

The Wales coach also recently experimented with Harry Wilson in a deeper role against Iceland in November, but the Fulham schemer is also not fit.

James made the move across the Channel to Rennes last summer and initially struggled to break into the side. More recently, though, he has become a regular in the centre of midfield, showing off his all-round abilities that marked him out as a talented prospect a couple of years ago.

Centre Midfield – Josh Sheehan

With Ampadu out, Wales are missing a controlling presence in the middle of the park. Sheehan is probably the closest player Wales has to the Leeds captain, albeit the Bolton playmaker is a slightly more attacking player.

Sheehan was excellent last year as Bolton just missed out on promotion, laying on 12 assists in League One. This season, Bolton are still challenging for promotion and Sheehan has been just as influential.

Kai Andrews is an option, particularly against the slightly weaker Kazakhstan, but a starting debut in a World Cup qualifier is too early for the talented teenager.

Attacking Midfield – David Brooks

Another position that picks itself in the absence of a key player through injury, Brooks comes into the main playmaking role in place of Harry Wilson.

Brooks is slightly better off the ball than Wilson, having been coached by the excellent Andoni Iraola in recent seasons, while maintaining the creativity and thrust that makes his game so good.

His lack of football this season is a bit of an issue – only eight league starts for Bournemouth – but he has always performed in a Wales shirt over the years.

Left Wing – Daniel James

Probably the most in form player in the Wales squad right now, Dan James’s recent performances are putting him in line for a Championship player of the season nomination.

With ten goals and nine assists for Championship leaders Leeds, James has refined his game a little this campaign and is now equalling comfortable receiving the ball in front of the defence as he is running in behind.

Right Wing – Brennan Johnson

Johnson is the player in the Wales squad who is currently playing at the highest level of the game, starting regularly for Tottenham in the Premier League and Europa League.

While his autumn hot streak is over, Johnson has remained a key part of the Spurs starting XI, and will be key for Wales going forward.

Striker – Liam Cullen

Who to play through the middle for Wales is a perennial debate. Kieffer Moore has the most regular in the centre forward position for Wales, but Bellamy has experimented significantly in this area since coming in.

We’ve Moore, Mark Harris, and Cullen used as traditional strikers, as well as Ramsey and Wilson in more false nine style roles in his six games so far.

In Wales’s most recent – and successful – result, the 4-1 victory over Iceland, Cullen started through the middle and scored a brace. This gives him the edge on the other options.

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