Ethan Ampadu believes Wales’ fast start to Euro 2024 qualifying shows painful World Cup lessons have been learned. Wales’ first World Cup appearance for 64 years turned into a damp squib in Qatar as Rob Page’s side finished bottom of their group with no wins and only one goal from three matches – a Gareth Bale penalty.

Gareth Bale was given a rousing send-off by Wales supporters before their Euro 2024 qualifier against Latvia in Cardiff. Five-times Champions League winner Bale retired from football in January after making a record 111 appearances for the Wales men’s national team.

Wales manager Robert Page declared it a case of “job done” after his team continued a promising start to their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign by beating Latvia 1-0 in Cardiff. Kieffer Moore’s first-half header made the difference, with the victory following a 1-1 draw away to Croatia three days ago.

Joe Morrell says Wales must be “ruthless and relentless” against Latvia on Tuesday to build on their promising start to Euro 2024 qualification. Wales held World Cup semi-finalists Croatia to a 1-1 draw on Saturday as substitute Nathan Broadhead marked his debut with a dramatic last-gasp equaliser.

Rob Page admits he watched Sky Sports News all summer waiting for the news that never came. “I was watching after the World Cup, waiting for it to be announced that Luka Modric had retired,” says the Wales manager. “But he didn’t retire, so we have to make sure we’re at our very best.”

Chris Mepham believes Wales can cope without the likes of Gareth Bale, Chris Gunter, Joe Allen and Johnny Williams when they usher in ‘a new era’ in Croatia this weekend. The four retirees will be watching from the sidelines as Rob Page’s new look side kick-off their latest European campaign in Zagreb. Latvia – Tuesday’s opponents at the Cardiff City Stadium – Armenia and Turkey complete the Group D line-up, with the top two teams qualifying automatically for the finals in Germany.

David Brooks is set to get a Wales recall this summer after returning to action following cancer treatment. Brooks returned to the pitch on Saturday 535 days after his last game, coming on as a 79th-minute substitute in Bournemouth’s 3-0 Premier League defeat at Aston Villa. The 25-year-old was diagnosed with stage two Hodgkin lymphoma in October 2021 and revealed he was cancer-free last May.

Wales boss Rob Page says Brennan Johnson will handle the pressure of being compared to Gareth Bale. The retirement of former skipper Bale – the men’s team’s record goalscorer and most capped player – in January has left Wales with a huge void to fill for the forthcoming Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.

Rob Page’s Wales squad announcement for the upcoming European Championship qualifiers against Croatia and Latvia last week was a landmark moment for Welsh football. The dark hour which had been a subject of dread for an entire sporting generation had actually arrived: Gareth Bale was no longer be available for Wales selection. His contributions in a red shirt – as well as those of fellow national team heroes, Joe Allen and Chris Gunter – have now officially entered the realm of memory.

New captain Aaron Ramsey wants Wales’ young generation to create their own history after the departures of Gareth Bale and other talismanic figures. Nice star Ramsey has taken over the captaincy for the Euro 2024 qualifying campaign after Bale ended his illustrious career in January. Chris Gunter, Joe Allen and Jonny Williams, also part of the Wales squad who reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016, have retired from the international scene as manager Rob Page ushers in a new era for Welsh football.

Aaron Ramsey is focused on joining Wales’ 100-cap club after being appointed skipper a decade after the “hurt” of losing the captaincy. Ramsey has been given the armband ahead of Euro 2024 qualifiers against Croatia and Latvia, replacing Gareth Bale who retired from football in January having won a record 111 caps for the Wales men’s team.

Wales manager Rob Page has left the country in suspense after delaying confirming his new captain in succession to Gareth Bale. Page has named a 24-man squad for the opening two qualifiers of Euro 2024, against Croatia and Latvia, but without specifying who will be his skipper. Former regular matchwinner and talisman Bale took off the armband for the last time at the World Cup last year and announced his retirement from football in January.