Craig Bellamy and a Cymru World Cup ambition

Cymru take their first steps on the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the new qualifying campaign begins with a Group J double-header against Kazakhstan and North Macedonia.

Head coach Craig Bellamy introduced himself to the Red Wall by sealing promotion in the UEFA Nations League last year with an exciting brand of high-energy, attacking football which delivered results and optimism of a brighter future for the national team. But while the competition offered a welcome platform for experimentation, there can be no room for error if Cymru are to once again take to the world stage.

“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.”

The comments referenced the frustration of what happened in Qatar in 2022 when Cymru underperformed and failed to make it out of their group. Bellamy’s desire for redemption no doubt made for a welcome post-match sound bite to those in the current squad who were involved.

Cymru start the campaign in Cardiff against Kazakhstan on Saturday, 22 March. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two nations. Currently 110th in the FIFA World Rankings, Kazakhstan did disrupt Cymru’s scouting plans by changing their manager in January and appointing their former midfielder, Ali Aliyev, to lead the nation through these opening group games. However, injuries to key players are a more pressing concern for Bellamy than any potential tactical changes from their opponents.

Cymru will be without the key trio of Harry Wilson, Ethan Ampadu and captain Aaron Ramsey (below) for the double-header, while Wes Burn and Rhys Norrington-Davies are also enforced absentees. Ramsey suffered a hamstring injury playing for Cardiff City on the eve of the squad announcement.

“It’s a tough one for him,” said Bellamy. “I’ve known him since he was five. To see his hard work and the consistency that he’s been able to show, and the elite level he’s been able to play at, but I care about the person more.”

Although Cymru will be once again be without one of their senior figures in Ramsey, Bellamy continues to plan for the long-term with the elevation of Kai Andrews to the senior squad. The 18-year old midfielder has impressed on-loan at Motherwell from parent club Coventry City this season, and now has an opportunity to learn from one of the best in his position in Joe Allen. “I see him as a high-potential player in an area where we need quality, and from what I’ve seen, he has the perfect profile to do that,” Bellamy explained.

Ramsey and Allen were both named in the UEFA Team of the Tournament at EURO 2016 as Cymru defied the odds to reach the semi-finals. Allen is a true Cymru legend who reversed his decision to retire from international football last year when Bellamy called.

His knowledge and experience can provide a valuable education for Andrews during the course of this international window, and represents how important Allen is to this group both on and off the field.

Like Andrews, Bellamy was 18 when he made his senior Cymru debut back in March 1998 under Bobby Gould, coming off the bench in a friendly against Jamaica at Ninian Park. Andrews has represented Cymru at U19 level, and Bellamy showed a clear enthusiasm for the potential of his latest recruit. “I like him physically and his ability to look after the ball,” he explained. “When you come into the squad, you always have an opportunity.”

Also returning to the squad after an extended absence is Rangers’ Tom Lawrence, almost a decade on from his senior debut against Andorra in October 2015, but more notably, four years on from his last Cymru appearance against Mexico in March 2021.

Lawrence has five goals in all competitions for his club this season, and Bellamy confirmed at his squad announcement that the forward has been in his plans for a period of time.

“I wanted to get Tom involved in the last couple of camps but he’s been injured,” he explained. “And the one camp he was fit for we were going in a different way, and we didn’t quite need that profile.

“He’s a player I’ve been in regular contact with, and we’ve just been waiting for the right moment to bring him in. He has qualities that I really like, he has a good understanding of the game and good discipline, so he will definitely add to the squad.”

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 of the play 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. We need to be able to adapt in this group as Kazakhstan will be a lot different to what North Macedonia will be. It has to be step-by-step, and Kazakhstan is the most important game now.”

But while Bellamy keeps the focus on the immediate challenge, additional tests against North Macedonia, Liechtenstein and top seeds Belgium will need to be overcome, even though Nations League success is likely to offer a second play-off chance if things do not go to plan. That will not enter into Bellamy’s thought process, and the only target for his side will be to win each and every game of this intensive qualifying journey.

Like many other generational talents to wear the Cymru badge, Bellamy was denied the experience of a major tournament during his own playing career. This new campaign provides his first opportunity to finally represent Cymru on the biggest stage of all, and he has already instilled a confidence and belief within his squad that what was only a dream for many of their predecessors can be a reality for them. It all starts with Kazakhstan.

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