After getting past Ukraine in the UEFA inter-continental playoffs thanks to national team legend Gareth Bale, Wales will play at their first World Cup in more than 60 years.
Qualification Summary
Gareth Bale
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| Gareth Bale |
UEFA Group E
- 2nd place (15 points)
- 8 matches (4 wins, 3 draws, 1 loss)
- 14 goals, 9 conceded (+5 goal difference)
- 2-1 semi-final win vs. Austria
- 1-0 final win vs. Ukraine
- Gareth Bale scored all three Welsh goals in the playoff
Top scorers:
- Gareth Bale (6)
- Aaron Ramsey (3)
Meet the Manager
Wales will be led by 48 year old Rob Page, who made 41 appearances himself for the national team during his playing career. He comes in with lots of experience as a player, including in the Premier League with Watford. He is however, relatively inexperienced as a manager. He previously oversaw Port Vale, who he got promoted from the fourth tier of England to the third, and Northampton Town, also in the third tier. He then took charge of the Wales-U21 team before being named caretaker manager of the senior team in late 2020. He led Wales through the UEFA Nations League, European Championships, and World Cup qualifying.
World Cup History
Qatar will mark just the second ever World Cup appearance for Wales, after previously reaching the quarter-finals in 1958 in Sweden. This is the longest ever gap between World Cup appearances for a team from Europe. The squad does have a bit of major tournament experience though, with a number of the players on the Wales teams that participated in the last two European Championships, including the underdog side that reached the semi-finals in their debut tournament in 2016.
Key Players
Gareth Bale - forward - Los Angeles FC (USA)
Second all-time in Wales caps behind only defender Chris Gunter, Bale is the heart and soul of the team. He is dangerous from open play, in the air, and on set pieces. Their all-time record goal scorer was vital to their qualification, and his vast experience in the Premier League, La Liga, and Champions League will be crucial to their success in Qatar. However, Bale has found starts hard to come by since his move to the MLS this summer.
Ben Davies - left/center back - Tottenham (England)
Davies has had a strong start to the season for Tottenham in the Premier League, and was one of the key players for Wales in the playoff final. Though he is capable of playing left back in a back four, he has most often been used as the left sided center back in a back three for both club and country. Davies' experience will be relied on to organize a relatively young backline.
Aaron Ramsey - midfielder - Nice (France)
Ramsey, along with Bale, is regarded as one of the best Welsh players of all-time. He has had a few injuries over the last few seasons that have slowed him down a bit, but he is the most technically gifted player in the Welsh midfield. The longtime Arsenal player was a star for Wales during their Cinderella run at the 2016 European Championships and was named in the team of the tournament.
Joe Rodon - center back - Rennes (France)
Despite struggling to at times with Tottenham, Rodon has become a key part of the Welsh defense. A loan this summer to Rennes has seen him earn more starts, which should help him when Qatar rolls around. He looks more confident on the ball than he did just a few months ago, and will be expecting to play just about every minute for Wales at the World Cup.
Neco Williams - right/left back - Nottingham Forest (England)
After struggling to really break into the Liverpool first team, Williams was sold to Nottingham Forest this summer as part of their newly promoted spending spree. He has been a key figure for Rob Page, already appearing 21 times for Wales since 2020. He has enjoyed a good start to the Premier League season, and his willingness to get up and down the flanks will be an important part of Wales plans in Qatar.
Ethan Ampadu - midfielder/center back - Spezia (Italy)
Ampadu has made himself a big part of the Welsh puzzle since his debut in 2017, racking up 36 caps at just 22 years of age. He has the versatility to play in the back line as well as in midfield. Still technically a Chelsea player, he is in his fourth consecutive season out on loan, this time in the Italian top flight.
Problems Between the Posts
It goes without saying that international managers want their key players to be getting consistent gametime before a major tournament to be in peak form. This is especially important when it comes to goalkeepers. However, Wayne Hennessey, who started the qualification playoff for Wales, is only expected to play in the sporadic cup game for Nottingham Forest after moving there this summer. In fact, Hennessy has played just five Premier League games since the summer of 2019, deputizing at Crystal Palace and Burnley before joining Forest. Despite this, Hennessey is the third most capped player in Welsh history.
The other candidate to start in Qatar is Danny Ward. After the departure of Kasper Schmeichel, Ward took over as Leicester City's starting goalkeeper. Unfortunately, he has struggled immensely and often looked out of place. At the time of writing, Leicester has accumulated just a singular point through their first seven games of the season, and sit bottom of the Premier League, with the worst defensive record in the division. Ward is yet to keep a clean sheet, and has conceded 11 goals in his last two games.
The only other goalkeepers that have been called in to the Wales squad recently are Tom King and Adam Davies. King, 27, is playing at Salford City in the fourth tier of English football and has never been capped by Wales. 30 year old Davies is at Sheffield United in the second tier, but hasn't played yet this season due to a knee injury.
For a team that will likely face a lot of shots against them, the goalkeeping position will be crucial. Rob Page doesn't have an overwhelming embarrassment of riches to choose from, but he will have to show confidence in one of his keepers to step up in Qatar.
Tactical Preview
Page has lined his side up in a variety of formations, including a 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, and a 3-5-2. However it seems that his most trusted lineup comes in a 3-4-3, such as the one that was used against Ukraine in the match that secured their qualification.
Gareth Bale is the star man, and will typically be given the freedom to roam the pitch. There is often a more hard working pressing winger opposite of Bale to provide some defensive cover, which could be Fulham's Daniel James. Kieffer Moore of Bournemouth will likely be used as a target man between Bale and James, though he may be the player sacrificed if Page chooses to opt for another man in midfield.
Joe Allen has been a mainstay of the Welsh midfield for years, frequently partnered by Aaron Ramsey. However, it is possible that Page sacrifices Ramsey's creative abilities for a more defensive approach at the World Cup, and opts to use Ramsey as a substitute when a goal is needed. If they do line up in a 3-5-2, expect Bale and James up front, with Allen and Ramsey in midfield alongside either Ethan Ampadu or Harry Wilson.
The wingbacks are likely to fly forward and join the attack, particularly former Liverpool man Neco Williams. Williams and Connor Roberts are both energetic and athletic enough to frequently press opposing wingers. They will look to provide the width in attack as Bale and James are likely to remain more central.
GK: Wayne Hennessey
CB: Chris Mepham
CB: Joe Rodon
CB: Ben Davies
RWB: Connor Roberts
LWB: Neco Williams
CM: Ethan Ampadu
CM: Joe Allen
RW: Gareth Bale
LW: Daniel James
ST: Kieffer Moore
World Cup Schedule
USA - November 21, Al Rayyan
Iran - November 25, Al Rayyan
England - November 29, Al Rayyan
