The Wales captain has admitted Craig Bellamy’s men are already desperate to be part of what could be a landmark tournament on their own soil.
The painful fall-out from their World Cup exit still lingers. Wales saw their hopes of reaching a second successive World Cup finals ended in dramatic fashion in Cardiff last Thursday, when Bosnia and Herzegovina struck late to force extra-time before advancing on penalties.
It was a cruel conclusion to a campaign that had promised so much under head coach Bellamy.
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Attention now briefly turns to a largely symbolic fixture against Northern Ireland, also beaten in their play-off semi-final, but the bigger picture is already forming — and it centres on Euro 2028.
“Even though we’re all disappointed, it’s about looking forward now,” said Fulham winger Wilson.
“We know that we’ve got a Nations League A campaign to come.
“It’s going to be tough but those are the games you want to play in and then on to the next Euros, which we’re all desperate to play at home.”
That sense of urgency reflects both the opportunity and the frustration. Wales had built real momentum heading into the play-offs, fuelled by a free-scoring qualifying campaign and an evolving identity under Bellamy.
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A thumping 7-1 win over North Macedonia secured home advantage, while a total of 21 goals highlighted their attacking threat.
Yet defensive frailties proved costly, with high-scoring defeats to Belgium — 4-3 and 4-2 — ultimately forcing them into the play-offs rather than sealing automatic qualification.
“The talk after the game was ‘we know that on our day we’re a really good team’. We showed that throughout the qualifying campaign,” Wilson added.
That belief remains intact within the squad, reinforced by Bellamy’s message in the immediate aftermath of defeat.
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The Wales boss gathered his players on the pitch at the Cardiff City Stadium and spoke of brighter days ahead.
Wilson revealed: “Craig just said how proud he was of the way we’ve played and the team we are.”
Despite the disappointment, there is a growing sense that Wales are building towards something — and Euro 2028 offers a unique target.
The tournament will be co-hosted by Wales alongside England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland, with Cardiff set to stage matches — potentially including Wales’ opening game if they qualify.
For Wilson and his team-mates, the prospect of performing at a major tournament in front of a home crowd adds extra motivation.
“The fans were incredible and the anthem was one of the best I’ve heard – we really felt that,” he said.
“They pushed us on, especially late on when people start to get tired. They really pushed us forward.
“I’m just as gutted for them that we weren’t able to get through to the final.”
That connection between players and supporters has been a defining feature of Wales’ recent progress, from their run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 to qualification for the 2022 World Cup.
While this latest setback stings, it has not diminished the belief within the camp.
Before attention fully shifts to the future, Wales must fulfil their fixture obligations with Tuesday night’s meeting against Northern Ireland — a consequence of both nations falling short in their respective play-offs.
Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill struck a similarly reflective tone after his side’s defeat to Italy.
“It’s hard when you lose a game to realise the positives,” he said.
“The players are disappointed and you have to feel that disappointment with them as well. But for a nation of our size, to come with a team of that age and play as we did, there’s a lot more positives.”
For Wales, though, the immediate disappointment is already giving way to longer-term ambition.
The Nations League campaign later this year — featuring heavyweight opposition in Portugal, Denmark and Norway — will provide another opportunity to test themselves at the highest level.
But the bigger prize is looming. Qualification for Euro 2028 would not just mean another major tournament appearance — it would mean leading the party on home turf.
And as Wilson has made clear, that is now the driving force.
