Wales captain Aaron Ramsey has made a significant return to international football after a 13-month hiatus. The 34-year-old midfielder has been included in a 26-man squad for the friendly match against England on October 9, 2023, followed by a crucial World Cup qualifier against Belgium in Cardiff four days later.
Ramsey, who has earned 86 caps for Wales, signed with Mexican club Pumas UNAM during the summer transfer window. He made his comeback in August after recovering from hamstring surgery that had sidelined him for five months. In recent weeks, he has demonstrated his regained fitness by making three starts and appearing as a substitute three times for Pumas.
Wales manager Craig Bellamy has also welcomed back Ethan Ampadu, who missed last month’s World Cup qualifying victory over Kazakhstan due to injury. However, the squad will be without Connor Roberts and Danny Ward, who are both unavailable due to their own injuries.
Milestone for Ben Davies
Tottenham defender Ben Davies is on the verge of a significant milestone, as he could earn his 100th cap for Wales in the upcoming matches. If he plays against England or Belgium, he will join the ranks of Gareth Bale, Wayne Hennessey, and Chris Gunter as the fourth Welsh player to achieve this landmark.
Additionally, Joel Colwill, who made his debut in last month’s friendly loss to Canada, has been included in the squad alongside his Cardiff City teammates Dylan Lawlor and Ronan Kpakio. This friendly match against England marks the first encounter between the two sides since their meeting in the 2022 World Cup, where Wales suffered a 3-0 defeat.
Wales finds itself in a competitive position within their World Cup group, currently sitting third. They are one point behind North Macedonia and 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 play-off position based on their Nations League performance last year.
The full Wales squad for the upcoming matches includes:
– 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)
Wales will aim to capitalize on their recent form and build momentum as they look to secure their place in the upcoming World Cup. The excitement surrounding Ramsey’s return adds to the anticipation of these vital matches.
