FT: BELGIUM 4 - 3 WALES. Match thread

I,m not camping , i,m not sitting back

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;I&#39;m not camping, I&#39;m not sitting back&quot; ��<br><br>Craig Bellamy on Wales&#39; game plan for their match against Belgium �������������� <a href="https://t.co/lnLMsN6M3E">pic.twitter.com/lnLMsN6M3E</a></p>&mdash; Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyFootball/status/1931266573941064151?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

World Cup qualifier: Belgium v Wales

Venue: King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels Date: Monday, 9 June Kick off: 19:45 BST

Coverage: Live on BBC One, S4C, iPlayer, BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru, the BBC Sport website and app, plus live text commentary.

Craig Bellamy has described his first year in charge of Wales as the best of his life as he prepares for Monday's crucial World Cup qualifier in Belgium.

Wales are top of Group J with seven points from three games, six points ahead of Belgium, who have two games in hand having only started their campaign on Friday, drawing 1-1 in North Macedonia.

As the group's top seeds, ranked eighth in the world and boasting a squad full of glittering individual talent, Belgium will start as favourites in Brussels.

But Bellamy, who is unbeaten in his first nine games, has vowed Wales will refuse to sit back and play for a draw, and will instead go all-out for victory.

"Whatever it will be, it rolls on if we get beat, but it's going to happen. Do I live in fear of it? Not at all. I don't live that way," said the former Liverpool and Manchester City forward.

"I've had so many setbacks in my life, it's OK. I'm still here. And I've actually just had the best year of my life. This has been the best.

"How did I get that at 45? It's what I've been waiting for but, at the same time, it's like I don't know what's around the corner.

"But I know what I'm going to do - enjoy everything. The good, the bad, whatever it is. Maybe I look too deep into stuff or maybe not. I try not to. But we're here for a tiny, short time. I'm here today, I'll be gone tomorrow, so why not enjoy it?"

Bellamy had already vowed that Wales will refuse to sit back and play for a draw in Brussels, and will instead go all out for victory, which he said would be a "huge push" towards qualifying.

Winning would be a notable achievement, and not only because it would be Wales' first on Belgian soil.

Belgium are supreme qualifiers, unbeaten in their past 41 qualifying matches for World Cups and European Championships combined, with 35 wins and six draws.

Their most recent qualifying defeat was against Wales in Cardiff in June 2015, and they were beaten again by Chris Coleman's side in their Euro 2016 quarter-final a year later.

That was Wales' fourth successive game without losing to Belgium, earning them the reputation of being a bogey team for a side who were then ranked second in the world.

Their rivalry has continued in the years since, though Belgium have had the better of recent encounters, winning two games at home and drawing twice in Wales.

Although Belgium have only won one of their past eight matches in all competitions, manager Rudi Garcia was in confident mood on Sunday.

"No excuses," he said. "We are going to beat Wales because we are a good team."

Team news

Wales are without Neco Williams after the Nottingham Forest defender was injured during the first half of Friday's 3-0 win over Liechtenstein.

Cardiff City youngster Dylan Lawlor has been called up as cover, but is unlikely to feature against Belgium.

Leeds United winger Daniel James is also missing having failed to recover from the illness that ruled him out against Liechtenstein.

"I've never once moaned about it before and I'm not going to start now. We have good enough players," said Bellamy.

"Of course we'd like them, but they're not going to be here. Let's make sure they're in a good position for when they come back."

Belgium are without Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois through injury, so Forest's Matz Sels is expected to keep his place from the draw in North Macedonia.

Garcia has some welcome selection headaches, with the likes of Aston Villa midfielders Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans pushing for recalls having only appeared as substitutes in Skopje.

Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard was an unused substitute against North Macedonia, while Manchester City playmaker Kevin de Bruyne played 56 minutes as his workload is managed.

Match facts

Belgium are unbeaten in eight previous home games against Wales in all competitions (five wins, three draws), only hosting Luxembourg more often (nine) without ever suffering defeat.

Wales are winless in their past four meetings with Belgium (two draws, two defeats), since a 3-1 win at Euro 2016 under Chris Coleman.

Belgium have lost two of their past three home games in all competitions (France and Italy), as many losses as they suffered across their previous 43 matches on home soil (33 wins, eight draws).

Wales are unbeaten in their past nine matches in all competitions (five wins, four draws) - only once in their history have they gone 10 without defeat, doing so between October 2001 and March 2003 (six wins, four draws).

Belgium are unbeaten in their past 41 qualifying matches (Euros and World Cup) since a 1-0 loss at Wales in June 2015 (35 wins, six draws). Among European nations, only Italy (56 between 2006 and 2017) and England (43 between 2009 and 2019) have had longer unbeaten runs in qualifying.

Belgium's Kevin De Bruyne has scored more goals against Wales (four) than he has against any other opponent in his international career.

Harry Wilson has scored five goals and assisted one in his past six appearances for Wales and is the nation's top scorer under Craig Bellamy.

Kieffer Moore - who scored against Liechtenstein on Friday - could make his 50th appearance for Wales in all competitions. He has scored twice in three games against Belgium, his joint-most goals against an opponent for his nation (also two against Finland and Gibraltar).

Based on form, history and Bellamy's links with Belgium this should be an interesting game.

It will probably end 4 nil to Belgium though, now that I've tempted fate .

North Macedonia 1-0 up in Kazakhstan after an hour unfortunately.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MOZZER2

I,m not camping , i,m not sitting back

"I'm not camping, I'm not sitting back" ��

Craig Bellamy on Wales' game plan for their match against Belgium �������������� pic.twitter.com/lnLMsN6M3E
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) June 7, 2025

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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He sounds more chipper here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c7539d4zw4dt

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

North Macedonia 1-0 up in Kazakhstan after an hour unfortunately.

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We're going to have to beat them in Cardiff on the last match day but honestly, it might not be a bad thing. It could mean they've got to keep playing at a high level vs Belgium.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

North Macedonia 1-0 up in Kazakhstan after an hour unfortunately.

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Something to add to the Wales team talk, North Macedonia were lucky not to concede though.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

North Macedonia 1-0 up in Kazakhstan after an hour unfortunately.

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Finished 0-1

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="cy" dir="ltr">CYMRU XI ������������������<br><br>Representing in Brussels ��</p>&mdash; Wales �������������� (@Cymru) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cymru/status/1932124907045081222?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MOZZER2

CYMRU XI ������������������

Representing in Brussels ��
— Wales �������������� (@Cymru) June 9, 2025

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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I wasn't far off, didn't think Mepham would start though.

I can't believe some people were calling for Ampadu to be dropped with Belgium having de Bruyne, Doku, Trossard & Lukaku up top!

Attachment 6562

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Originally Posted by Wales-Bales

I can't believe some people were calling for Ampadu to be dropped with Belgium having de Bruyne, Doku, Trossard & Lukaku up top!

Attachment 6562

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I think the word youngsters use is whoosh.

Any predictions?

Why are the home team in yellow?

3-0

No way is that a penalty

Never a pelanty, ridiculous decision

What is the point of var? Absolutely should have overturned that

Well that was ‘clear & obvious’!!!!!!

He's literally got his arm behind his back.

These days that's a penalty I'm afraid. Johnson's arm was dangling after he'd turned his body.
On another note, Onana's hair looks like a 1970s cycling helmet.

That would never have been a penalty pre VAR, but it probably was under current interpretations.

Ripped us a new one then!!

Game over. Could be a hammering if we aren't careful

Game over