All-Time Wales North v South Face Off: How the XI’s could look
Hensol, Wales. 1st June 2021. Ben Davies, Aaron Ramsey & Gareth Bale of Wales during training at the Vale resort ahead of their international friendly against France tomorrow. Credit: Lewis Mitchell/YCPD/
The success of the Welsh national team has been patchy over the years but there have been some all-time greats who’ve worn the red jersey.
Whilst the best clubs in Wales like Cardiff City, Swansea City and Newport County reside in the South, that doesn’t distinguish where the quality comes out of.
Here we pick out a best 11 from the North and South of Wales using all the players who have won a cap for Cymru.
North XI: Neville Southall, Stuart Williams, Kevin Ratcliffe, Mike England, Joey Jones, Billy Meredith, Robby Savage, Gary Speed, Barry Horne, Mark Hughes, Ian Rush
Manager: Mark Hughes
Hughes is the coach of this team as well as getting a spot in the team up top. He helped a struggling Wales side nearly reach the Euros in the early 2000’s, losing to Russia at the playoff stage.
Goalkeeper:
Where better to start than with Wales’ third highest capped player. Neville Southall was one of the best goalkeepers in Britain during his playing days, making over 500 Premier league appearances for Everton.
Defenders:
His former teammate Kevin Ratcliffe sits in front of him. He brings a tough tackling nature and tremendous leadership skills, as Ratcliffe became captain of the Toffees at just 23 years old.
A former Wales manager by the name of Mike England partners Ratcliffe. The Holywell born centre back gained great success with Tottenham in the 70s. He returned to the national side to manage for an eight year period in 1980.
Joey Jones had to be at left back. He made 72 appearances for Wales and became a fan favourite during his short time at Anfield, where he became the first Welshman to win a European Cup winners medal.
The other full back in this team was a mainstay in Wales’ 1958 World Cup campaign. Stuart Williams spent the majority of his career at West Bromwich Albion and was praised by footballing great Pele as the two faced off in the quarter final at that World Cup.
Midfielders:
The late Gary Speed is one of the first names you think of when looking at an all-time Wales 11, let alone just in the North. Speed made 85 appearances for Cymru and was a brilliant Premier League midfielder who will remain in Welsh hearts forever.
Former Leicester City midfielder Robby Savage partners Speed in the midfield. The footballer turned pundit spent his youth career at Manchester United and went on to have a distinguished career with clubs including Derby County and Birmingham City.
Billy Meredith joins the midfield next. Meredith played over 300 games for each of the Manchester clubs and is considered one the superstars from the early football days. He got 48 caps for Cymru between 1895 and 1920.
Next is the man behind the name of the popular band on the Red Wall The Barry Horns. It’s Barry Horne. Born in St Asaph, Horne made 59 appearances for Cymru and brings a battling, ball-winning mentality to the midfield.
Attackers:
The strike force of this team is something to be reckoned with. It’s Ian Rush and the player-manager of this side, Mark Hughes. In their day, these two were lethal. Rush is a Liverpool legend and scored 28 goals in 73 games for Wales, being top scorer for a period until 2018.
Hughes on the other hand also had club success but with Liverpool’s arch-rivals Manchester United. Sparky scored 17 minutes into his debut in 1984 against England and scored 16 times playing one game less than Rush.
South XI: Jack Kelsey, Chris Gunter, Mel Charles, Fred Keenor, Ben Davies, Craig Bellamy, Aaron Ramsey, Ryan Giggs, Gareth Bale, Ivor Allchurch, John Charles
Manager: Chris Coleman
Coleman will go down in Welsh football history. Simple as that. Cookie helped Cymru to that famous 2016 Euros in what was an unbelievable time for Welsh football in what was a first major tournament in 58 years.
Goalkeeper:
Now to the South side and Swansea born Jack Kelsey is in between the sticks. Kelsey played over 300 games domestically for Arsenal as well as making 41 appearances for Wales and is regarded as one of the best Welsh goalkeepers of all time.
Defenders:
There have been players with better quality than Chris Gunter at right-back over the years, but how can you leave out the highest capped player in welsh football. Born in Cardiff, Gunter has mainly played his football in the Championship and is now just one game from 100 caps for his country.
At centre back are a pair of legends who produced unbelievable quality. Who better than Mel Charles and Fred Keenor? Charles, brother of John played most of his career in his home town of Swansea and got a move to Arsenal in the top flight, though his time there was plagued with injuries.
Then there’s Keenor. Arguably one of the best footballing products ever out of Wales. He is a Cardiff City legend playing over 400 games for the Bluebirds also captaining them to FA Cup triumph in 1927. His hard tackling and leadership is vital from the back in this XI.
From the 1920s to the present. At left-back is current Wales and Tottenham left-back Ben Davies. Davies was a big part of the 2016 Euros and has played at left-back and left side of a back three with Cymru.
Midfielders:
This midfield is special. First up is current Wales manager Ryan Giggs. Giggs spent his whole career at Manchester United and is arguably one of the best players in Premier League history. He was often starved of Wales appearances by Sir Alex Ferguson but still managed 64 caps.
Next to him is the youngest ever captain of all-time for the national team. Juventus’ Aaron Ramsey has been a vital part of the Welsh side for over 10 years registering 61 caps. His box to box nature gives this midfield a fast-paced, dynamic look.
Lastly, in the midfield is Cardiff born Craig Bellamy. The 41-year old brought fighting and committed attitude to the top tiers of English football for around 18 years. He made 78 appearances for Wales, captaining the side on a few occasions.
Attackers:
This attack really does give the North XI’s a run for its money. Ivor Allchurch is known as ‘the golden boy of football’. Allchurch scored 23 goals in 68 games for Wales and is Swansea all-time top goal scorer. He also had spells at south wales rivals Cardiff and Newcastle United.
You could write forever about this next inclusion. Gareth Bale is probably the best player ever out to come out of Wales.
He has been the spearhead of Cymru’s resurgence in recent years and like Coleman, he will be revered by the world of football as well as Wales fans for years to come. Bale offers pace, flair and a free-kick speciality which lit up Wales road to Euros semi-final back in 2016.
The last in this XI is the football hall of fame inductee John Charles. Charles was a strong striker with pace and a lethal eye for goal. Born in Swansea, he played for Cardiff City but found his success at Elland Road with Leeds United and in Turin with Juventus.
Charles scored over 350 senior goals and scored 15 times in 38 games for Wales.
