Gareth Bale believes Welsh football’s success can act as a catalyst for youngsters in any sport. Welsh football has been on quite the journey – from languishing in 127th in the world, to reaching three out of four major finals, including the semi-final of the 2016 European Championships, and now their first World Cup in 64 years. It is the longest period away from one World Cup finals to the next of any nation that has ever appeared.

Rabbi Matondo believes Wales’ Nations League games against top opposition is the perfect baptism of fire ahead of the heat of the Qatar World Cup. Wales have lost both their Nations League games so far – away to Poland and at home to the Netherlands. But despite the results, there have been some promising moments, especially from Wales’ youngsters, many of whom are likely to have key roles comes the World Cup finals in November.

Harry Wilson has warned England that Wales will be no World Cup pushovers. Wales joined England, the United States and Iran in Group B at Qatar by beating Ukraine in Sunday’s play-off final in Cardiff. The two home nations will meet in the final round of group fixtures at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium on November 29.

By Paul Jones Gareth Bale has called for his Wales team-mates to learn the “dark arts” ahead of the World Cup after Wout Weghorst’s late winner for the Netherlands. Weghorst ended Wales’ impressive home unbeaten run by scoring a late winner in a dramatic injury-time as Netherlands ran out 2-1 winners in Cardiff. Wales had […]

By Rob Carbon Welsh football is finally breaking free of the shackles and emerging from the shadow of Welsh Rugby. The UEFA survey all but confirms that football is taking centre stage in Wales’ sporting theatre, with the recent result against Ukraine and the incredible atmosphere on Sunday night emphasising football’s new standing in the […]

By Paul Jones Brennan Johnson believes playing Premier League football at Nottingham Forest will boost his ambition of starting for Wales at the World Cup. Johnson scored 19 goals last season to help fire Forest into the top flight and is one of the most exciting talents to emerge in Welsh football for several years. […]

By Paul Jones Gareth Bale has described Wales’ journey from the football wilderness to the World Cup as “crazy”. Wales qualified for their first World Cup in 64 years by beating Ukraine 1-0 in a pulsating play-off final in Cardiff on Sunday. But little more than a decade ago, Wales were languishing 117th in the […]

Gareth Bale joked he would be delaying his retirement “for a little bit” after he fired Wales to their first World Cup in 64 years on Sunday night. Speculation had been rife that the Real Madrid star – who is set to become a free agent at the end of the month when his deal at the Bernabeu expires – would retire if Wales had failed to qualify for yet another World Cup. But the 32-year-old stepped up when his country needed him most to fire in the free-kick that was deflected past Ukraine goalkeeper Heorhiy Bushchan to make history.

The eyes of the world will be watching as Wales take on Ukraine in the World Cup play-off final at the Cardiff City Stadium on Sunday evening in a bid to secure a place in Qatar in November. It is set to be an emotional night for both teams, as Wales will be on the hunt to end decades of hurt after missing out on previous World Cups since 1958. Meanwhile, Ukraine will also be vying for a place in their second finals – their first was in 2006 – after three months of war with Russia, so it will be an inspirational occasion for the country should they qualify.

Joe Rodon says he has taken a leaf out of Gareth Bale’s book and not “cried” over his club situation as the pair bid to take Wales to the World Cup. Like Bale at Real Madrid, Rodon has been under-employed by his club this season – making just 10 appearances for Tottenham Hotspur and only three in the Premier League. But the duo will be key pillars at either end of the pitch for Wales against Ukraine on Sunday in the World Cup play-off showdown at Cardiff City Stadium,  a gigantic match that is live on S4C.

Wales defender Ben Davies has praised Ukraine star Oleksandr Zinchenko as “a stand-out man” for the way he has conducted himself in the media ahead of Sunday’s emotionally-charged World Cup play-off final. The eyes of the world will be on Cardiff City Stadium to see if Ukraine’s national football team can pull off a win that would lift a country that has been at war since Russia’s invasion in February. A tearful Zinchenko spoke from the heart ahead of Ukraine’s 3-1 play-off semi-final victory over Scotland on Wednesday, detailing what it would mean for his country if they qualify for the World Cup in Qatar later this year.

By Gareth James Wales’ World Cup play-off opponents Ukraine deserve “cheer and encouragement” following their 3-1 win in Wednesday night’s 3-1 play-of semi-final win against Scotland. That’s the view of Craig Brown, the last manager to take Scotland’s national men’s team to a World Cup finals. The Ukrainian team had not played a competitive match […]

By Paul Jones Wales boss Robert Page admitted his team selection for their opening Nations League game in Poland was influenced by Sunday’s World Cup play-off final. Skipper Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey, Ben Davies and Joe Allen were all rested as Wales slid to a 2-1 defeat in Wroclaw – their first loss for nearly […]

Rob Page has been heralded as a national hero as he stands just one game away from taking Wales to the World Cup finals for the first time since 1958. Page and his team – who will face Poland on Wednesday night at the Tarczynski Arena in Wroclaw – would be immortalised forever in Welsh history if they qualify for the World Cup in their next game against either Scotland or Ukraine on Sunday. But first they have a warm-up date with a tricky Poland side in the Nations League – opponents stacked with world class talent, who have already qualified for Qatar after beating Sweden 2-0 in their play-off final.

By Paul Jones Steven Naismith wants Scotland to embrace the prospect of “making more history” when they face Ukraine on Wednesday night. The Scots’ qualification for the delayed 2020 European Championship saw them take part in their first major tournament since the 1998 World Cup in France. Now, if they overcome Ukraine in a World […]

Steve Cooper will become the first Welsh manager in the Premier League since Mark Hughes in 2018, after revealing he first doubted Nottingham Forest might even climb into the Championship’s top 10. The former Swansea City head coach hailed “magical” Forest for reminding the world of the City Ground club’s rich history by securing a Premier League future. Forest will return to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years next season, after defeating Huddersfield 1-0 in Sunday’s Championship play-off final at Wembley.

Newport County have launched a third raid into the JD Cymru Premier League by signing Will Evans from Bala Town. The trend was begun by Michael Flynn when he brought defender Priestley Farquharson to the club from Connah’s Quay Nomads in January, 2021, and his successor, James Rowberry, introduced the Penybont midfielder James Waite last season. Now, the 24-year-old former Cardiff Met star Evans is hoping he can make the breakthrough into the Football League after putting pen to paper on a deal that will be completed when the transfer window officially opens on 10 June.

Wales midfielder Sorba Thomas hopes to complete a remarkable journey this weekend by winning Premier League promotion with Huddersfield. If the Terriers beat Nottingham Forest in Sunday’s Sky Bet Championship play-off final, Thomas will have risen from non-league football to the top flight in the space of 16 months. The former Boreham Wood midfielder said: “I always believed. When you look at the success stories of Jamie Vardy, Michel Antonio, Tyrone Mings, who came from non-league, you have to always believe.

Six years ago, Kieffer Moore worried his career had frozen but now he is one game away from the heat of a desert World Cup and the biggest hat-trick of his life. The Wales striker is about to become a Premier League player with Bournemouth, has got engaged to fiancé Charlotte Russell, and now just needs a place at the World Cup finals to make 2022 the year that made Moore merrier Yet back in 2016, the 6ft 5in hit man was returning from a stint in the Nordic city of Stavanger, where he failed to break the ice by scoring a single goal for Norwegian club Viking.

By Harry Corish Joey Barton has been accused of threatening to block the progress of Sion Spence at Bristol Rovers if the midfielder joined up with Wales. Spence – who is on loan at Rovers from Premier league Crystal Palace – was wanted by Wales Under 21 manager Paul Boden for international duty in June. […]