Craig Bellamy aims for 2026 World Cup with Wales

Craig Bellamy has shared that managing the Wales national football team has helped him "calm down" as he prepares for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Wales will play Kazakhstan in Cardiff on Saturday for their first qualifying match. Since taking over in July, Bellamy has remained unbeaten and started better than any previous Wales manager. The 45-year-old, who was captain of Wales, has a coaching background with Anderlecht and Burnley. However, this is his first role as a head coach. Bellamy talked about the differences between club and international management, noting the lack of regular matches allows him time to reflect and improve. He expressed gratitude for his coaching staff, who keep him engaged in his new role. Bellamy also emphasized the importance of learning from the experience of the players who have been to a World Cup. His goal is to harness that knowledge for the benefit of the team. Wales captain Ben Davies, standing in for Aaron Ramsey, reflected on the team’s disappointing performance at the 2022 World Cup. He mentioned that the squad is eager to prove their abilities on a major stage. Both Bellamy and Davies expressed that they are ready to work towards achieving success in the upcoming qualifiers.