By Gareth James
Joe Rodon will win his 50th Wales cap on Tuesday after being battered, bruised and cut during the Nations League draw with Turkey.
Rodon produced a player-of-the-match performance to shut out the Euro 2024 quarter-finalists in a bruising 0-0 stalemate in Kayseri.
The Leeds defender was left to nurse a couple of cuts above his eyes after colliding with team-mate Mark Harris, playing on with a headband after requiring treatment for several minutes.
“I’m quite used to them,” Rodon commented rather matter-of-factly on his head wounds after a contest that saw Turkey forward Kerem Akturkoglu send his contentious 89th-minute penalty on to a post and wide.
“It’s every other week in the Championship. The main thing is we’re both OK and that’s all that matters. Hopefully it will heal up quickly.
“Of course they had to do the protocols and the precautions because head injuries can be dangerous. But never was I coming off.
“I’m quite used to it and I was fine. I was delighted I could carry on.”
Joe Rodon says the “honour” of playing for Wales helped get him through some of the toughest moments of his career as the centre-back prepares to win his 50th cap.
The Leeds United player is in line to reach the landmark on Tuesday when Wales host Iceland ⚽️#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/gRx9ulU9pk
— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) November 17, 2024
Harris came off worse in the horrible collision and was left with a nasty shiner close to his right eye.
The Oxford striker continued until the interval before making way and while his participation for Tuesday’s final Nations League group game against Iceland could be in jeopardy, there is no such doubt over Rodon.
That means he will reach the half-century of caps, just over five years after making his debut against Azerbaijan in a Euro 2020 qualifier.
“Time flies when you’re having fun,” said Rodon, 27. “I just want to keep playing games and enjoying my football as I’m loving every minute of it.
“I’ll cross that bridge (50th cap) when it comes but it’s a dream and an honour to play for my country.
“All the boys in that dressing room dream of playing for the whole nation.”
Rodon was a key player for Wales, even when he struggled to get game-time at former club Tottenham or on loan at Rennes in France.
Asked if Wales had kept him going during low points of his career, he said: “That’s absolutely right. To come away with a group of lads like this and the staff, everyone there, is unbelievable.
“That’s what really kept me going in those tough moments.”
Wales – who survived after Neco Williams was adjudged to have felled Yunus Akgun despite appearing to have got a touch on the ball – will book at least a Nations League play-off place in March by avoiding defeat against Iceland in Cardiff.
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Victory would secure top spot and promotion to League A should Turkey lose in Montenegro.
But Wales would be plunged into a relegation play-off against a League C runner-up should they lose to Iceland.
Rodon said: “Everyone put in a massive shift against Turkey and I’m very proud of the boys.
“We know Iceland will offer a different challenge and a very difficult game.
“We’ll prepare like we always do and put on a performance for the whole nation.”
