Wales completed an unbeaten UEFA Nations League campaign as they defeated Iceland 4-1 in an entertaining performance at The Cardiff City Stadium.
It has been the dream start to life as Wales boss for Craig Bellamy and he will be looking forward to the beginning of the FIFA World Cup Qualifying campaign to continue his impressive start.
Here is five things we learned from the UEFA Nations League campaign.
Wales secured promotion
In a remarkable final round of fixtures the stunning 4-1 win followed by Montenegro’s first win of the campaign at home to Türkiye was enough for Wales to secure top spot in the group.
The result means Bellamy’s side have secured their spot in League A for the second time since the conception of the competition. They will look to improve on their last performance in the top division where they suffered relegation after a home defeat to Poland.
League A will see them come up against some of the best international sides in the world with potential opponents including France, Germany and Spain.
Craig Bellamy remains unbeaten with new identity
It has been a great start to life as Wales boss for Bellamy as he extended his unbeaten record to six games with three wins and three draws.
He was the first Wales manager to go unbeaten in their first four competitive fixtures and will be keen to extend the record further when they begin their qualification campaign in March.
They have not only flourished with positive results but also have received high praise for their performances during the six game spell. It hasn’t all been easy with difficult second half stints away to Montenegro and Iceland but the positivity is building in the Red Wall with what they’ve witnessed so far.
Perhaps the most impressive was the resilience shown in the final fixture after falling behind early against Iceland. The team continued to trust in the system and picked up a deserved and commanding victory.
The whole squad is being utilised
During the campaign there were a total of 27 players utilised with 26 starters across the six fixtures. The impressive stat shows how the squad as a whole is being used ad there are competition for places.
There was worry when key player such as Ethan Ampadu and Aaron Ramsey were sidelined with long-term injuries however their replacements more than stepped up as they slotted into the new system with little issues.
It is something that will really benefit Wales going forward knowing that there are multiple options to cover positions and the ‘shapes’ that Bellamy looks to utilise, with the added benefit of having key players reintroduced as they look to begin the qualification campaign.
Harry Wilson the star man?
There were many incredible performances from Welsh players over the course of the campaign but its difficult to look beyond Fulham man Harry Wilson as the standout performer.
Despite not featuring regularly at club level he stepped up consistently for his nation during the international breaks with some stunning strikes scoring three goals in the campaign, capping off the promotion winning run with a long range strike against Iceland in the final group fixture.
He has been a major asset in the new Bellamy system and he will be needed if they are to book a place in the World Cup. There were concerns raised of a Wales future without Gareth Bale, and although he will be missed hugely this new crop of players have shown they’ve got the ability to compete against the best.
Hopes of a place at the 2026 World Cup are boosted
The success of the UEFA Nations League campaign could have major long term benefits for Wales as they aim for a spot in the World Cup.
A place in League A will all but guarantee them a play-off place for a spot in the competition in worst case scenario, a game they won’t want to rely on but will be comforting to know none the less.
The draw for the qualifiers will take place on the 13th of December with Wales in pot two, with them likely to be entered into a five team group. The full team list for each pot includes;
Pot 1: Spain, Germany, Portugal, France, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Croatia, England, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria.
Pot 2: Ukraine, Sweden, Turkey, Wales, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Norway.
Pot 3: Scotland, Slovenia, Republic of Ireland, Albania, North Macedonia, Georgia, Finland, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel.
Pot 4: Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Kosovo, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Lithuania.
Pot 5: Moldova, Malta, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, San Marino.
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