Wales captain Aaron Ramsey is set to make his return to international football after a 13-month absence. The experienced midfielder has been included in a 26-man squad for a friendly match against England on October 9, 2023, at Wembley Stadium, followed by a crucial World Cup qualifier against Belgium in Cardiff four days later.
Ramsey, who has earned 86 caps for his country, joined Mexican club Pumas UNAM in the summer and has recently regained his fitness. After a five-month recovery from hamstring surgery, the 34-year-old has made three starts and three substitute appearances for Pumas over the past month, showcasing his readiness to contribute to the national team.
Wales manager Craig Bellamy is also pleased to welcome back Ethan Ampadu, who missed last month’s 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory against Kazakhstan due to injury. Unfortunately, Connor Roberts of Burnley and Danny Ward, the Wrexham goalkeeper, will not be available for selection as they are sidelined by injuries.
Milestone Matches Ahead for Welsh Players
Defender Ben Davies is poised to achieve a significant milestone, potentially earning his 100th cap for Wales. If he takes the field against England and Belgium, he will join the ranks of Gareth Bale, Wayne Hennessey, and Chris Gunter as the fourth Welshman to reach this notable landmark.
Additionally, Joel Colwill has been included in the squad following a late call-up last month that allowed the Cardiff attacking midfielder to make his debut in a friendly match against Canada.
Wales’ upcoming encounter with England marks their first meeting since the group stage clash at the 2022 World Cup, where they suffered a 3-0 defeat. The Welsh team has not secured a victory against England since 1984, highlighting the challenge they face.
As it stands, Wales currently occupies third place in their World Cup qualifying group, trailing North Macedonia by one point and sitting level on points with Belgium, who have a game in hand. The top team in the group will qualify directly for the World Cup, while Wales is likely to secure a playoff berth due to favorable outcomes in their Nations League results last year.
Wales Squad Overview
The full Wales squad for the upcoming matches is as follows:
– Karl Darlow (Leeds)
– Adam Davies (Sheffield United)
– Tom King (Everton)
– Ben Cabango (Swansea)
– Jay Dasilva (Coventry)
– Ben Davies (Tottenham)
– Ronan Kpakio (Cardiff)
– Chris Mepham (West Brom)
– Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff)
– Joe Rodon (Leeds)
– Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest)
– Ethan Ampadu (Leeds)
– Jordan James (Leicester, on loan from Rennes)
– Josh Sheehan (Bolton)
– Aaron Ramsey (Pumas UNAM)
– Joel Colwill (Cardiff)
– David Brooks (Bournemouth)
– Sorba Thomas (Stoke)
– Harry Wilson (Fulham)
– Nathan Broadhead (Wrexham)
– Liam Cullen (Swansea)
– Mark Harris (Oxford)
– Lewis Koumas (Birmingham, on loan from Liverpool)
– Daniel James (Leeds)
– Brennan Johnson (Tottenham)
– Kieffer Moore (Wrexham)
With the return of key players and the potential for significant milestones, the upcoming matches promise to be pivotal for Wales as they strive for World Cup qualification.
