Craig Bellamy is confident that Wales’ recent experience in major tournaments will play a crucial role in their bid to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
With their campaign set to begin against Kazakhstan in Cardiff on Saturday before a trip to North Macedonia three days later, Bellamy believes the team’s past successes can provide an edge in their quest for another global appearance.
Having featured in Euro 2016, Euro 2020, and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar—their first appearance on football’s biggest stage since 1958—Wales now faces a group that also includes Belgium and Liechtenstein.
Bellamy, unbeaten in his tenure after guiding Wales to Nations League promotion last autumn, knows the significance of such tournament experience.
“It is so valuable,” said Bellamy.
“The players’ calmness, they’ve been there, but also the crowd. That experience of everyone being on the ride is so important.
“Some get to play more of a part than others, but if we’re successful, we all get to go and enjoy this.
“This time it is my responsibility to get to where other managers have been able to get to, and then maybe leave it in a place where it continuously keeps happening.”
Despite Kazakhstan being ranked 110th in the world—81 places below Wales—Bellamy insists that patience will be key in their first-ever senior men’s encounter.
Wales have struggled against lower-ranked nations in the past, most notably a shocking 4-2 home defeat to Armenia in 2023, which ultimately cost them a spot at Euro 2024.
“You’ve seen what it takes to get to major tournaments, and you know it all wasn’t one way,” Bellamy said.
“There are certain rough periods along the way. I’ve never tried to play expectations down, but at the same time, we have to play our game. No matter what goes on.”
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For captain Ben Davies, past disappointments—particularly Wales’ underwhelming World Cup campaign in Qatar—fuel the squad’s determination to qualify once more.
“It is something that sticks with me and I’m sure it sticks with a lot of the guys,” said Davies.
“The best moment of Qatar for us was probably the Ukraine (play-off) game in getting there.
“It was disappointing out there and it was something that was tough to get over for a while.
“We didn’t really show how good we can be on the world stage and that hunger to go and do it again is definitely there.”
Bellamy, who has spent years as an assistant at clubs like Anderlecht and Burnley before taking his first senior management role with Wales, acknowledged that the shift to international football has provided him with a new perspective.
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“Not playing week in, week out, two games a week, not having that: recover, prepare, game, recover, prepare, game.
“It’s actually really nice. But also maybe the stage I was at as a coach, maybe actually this is good for me at this present moment,” he reflected.
“It allows me to look back, calm down, actually just go through how the week was, what could be improved, what was good.
“So it probably allows me … maybe it has given me that space and time to improve and reflect, but you have to make good use of it.”
With Wales looking to make their mark on another international tournament, Bellamy remains focused on harnessing the team’s experience and resilience.
“When we say ‘Together stronger’ [the Wales slogan], it’s everyone. I expect expectations, I welcome them. I’d be concerned if we didn’t have them,” he said.
“I’ve never tried to play them down, but, at the same time, we have to play our game, no matter what goes on.”
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