Wales captain Ben Davies believes his side will be unrecognisable from the team that fell short against England at the 2022 World Cup when the two nations meet again at Wembley on Thursday night.
Davies, who is set to win his 99th cap in the friendly, admits the 3-0 defeat in Qatar — which confirmed Wales’ early elimination — still lingers in the memory, but insists Craig Bellamy’s men are now a far more confident and cohesive team.
“I don’t think that’s our motivation going into this game, but if I look back to that game we definitely were not our best,” said the Tottenham defender.
“It’s a game that I felt disappointed walking off the pitch, not just because of the result, but because we didn’t really show why we’d got to a major tournament.
“There’s a confidence going through the group that we will be able to put on a better show than we did last time.”
The match — Wales’ first meeting with England since that night in Doha — offers Bellamy’s young squad a chance to test themselves against one of the world’s top-ranked teams.
England, fourth in FIFA’s standings, head into the ‘Battle of Britain’ fixture in fine form after a 5-0 demolition of Serbia last month that extended their lead in World Cup qualifying.
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Wales, ranked 30th, arrive in London looking to continue building under Bellamy, who has been clear that his side will not sit back and defend.
“We’re here to come and play,” Bellamy said. “To play our brand of football. It’s difficult circumstances at an incredible place like Wembley, but to us it is excitement.
“We’re not here as tourists, to enjoy the occasion. We’re here to be the best version of ourselves, and that allows you to be excited and also to have fun as well.”
Bellamy’s message has been one of fearlessness rather than damage limitation — and he has warned against trying to shut England out for 90 minutes.
“I honestly believe if you play this England team and you defend deep you’ll die a slow death – and I’m not into that,” he said. “I’m like please, ‘Put me up against the wall and end it now’. So don’t put me in that position.”
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The Wales manager views the Wembley contest as ideal preparation for Monday’s crucial World Cup qualifier at home to Belgium, a game Wales must win to stay in contention for automatic qualification.
“We will be able to take a lot from this game to prepare for the Belgium game,” Bellamy added. “It’s beneficial to what we’re going to be up against on Monday.”
Davies, one of Wales’ most experienced players, says the squad has bought into Bellamy’s proactive approach and will relish the opportunity to test themselves on one of world football’s biggest stages.
“It’s another big occasion for us,” he said. “We know what playing England means to our supporters, but the focus for us is on performing at the level we’re capable of. We know if we do that, we’ll cause them problems.”
England, meanwhile, will be without captain Harry Kane, who has been ruled out due to a painful knock picked up with Bayern Munich.
“Harry will miss the game,” confirmed England boss Thomas Tuchel.
“He got a kick in his last match with Bayern Munich. It was too painful to kick a ball, it was too risky that he gets another kick and will just like be in an up and down situation pain-wise, so we gave him the chance that everything calms down. We are convinced that he will be ready for the match against Latvia.”
Tuchel said John Stones, Jordan Henderson or Declan Rice will take the armband in Kane’s absence.
While England’s preparations have centred on rotation and fitness, Wales’ focus is firmly on proving they have moved on since Qatar.
For Davies, Thursday night offers the chance to right a wrong — and show that under Bellamy, Wales are heading in the right direction.
