Craig Bellamy remains convinced Wales deserve their place in the top tier of the Nations League, despite a losing start to the campaign that has left them without a point in Group A4.
Wales were beaten 2-0 in Denmark three days after losing 1-0 to Portugal in Lisbon. They are without a victory in six matches in 2026, and have failed to win any of their eight League A fixtures when the current campaign is combined with their games in the division in 2022.
Bellamy, though, points to the promotion from League B he secured in his first campaign in charge as evidence that Wales have earned the right to come up against Europe’s leading sides on a regular basis. He believes the visit of Norway fits exactly the challenge his side should be facing.
“For us, this is another one, the intensity, top players, real speed,” Bellamy said of the Norway game. “It’s what group A is, up and down all the group As. When we were in the pot, we were in pot four and we thought, ‘where do you want to be?’. They’re all brilliant, but we’ve earned the right to be here.”
Wales host Norway at Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday, 1 October (19:45 BST) before a rematch with Denmark three days later. Norway arrive as World Cup quarter-finalists, having lost 2-1 at home to Portugal after opening their campaign with a 3-2 win over Denmark.
Bellamy expects Stale Solbakken’s side to remain a force for years, citing the investment made in the Norwegian national team and the presence of two clubs from the country in the Champions League. “They get to the quarter-finals in the World Cup and you’re really on a surge at the present moment,” he said. “You’ve built it in your nation for a number of years, you have two clubs in the Champions League. This is a real surge now and I don’t think it’s going away. How rich your country is, it’s really spending the money in certain areas and in sport, I expect you to be a force for a number of years.”
Bellamy’s own record is under scrutiny going into the double header. He was unbeaten in his first nine games after taking charge in July 2024, but North Macedonia, ranked 65th, remain the highest-ranked side he has beaten as Wales manager.
Nia Jones, the former Wales international, said she still wants Bellamy in charge but feels the team have stalled. “I still want Craig Bellamy to be our manager, but I think there’s an element of a new manager bounce when he first came in, there was an excitement and a freedom,” she told the Feast of Football podcast. “Sometimes the novelty wears off and expectations from opponents and fans go up, and I feel we’ve plateaued.”
Former Wales striker Nathan Blake suggested opponents have adapted to Bellamy’s approach. “When Craig took over, that first game against Turkey, the football was fantastic,” he said. “I remember our fans were like ‘Wow, this is pretty, it’s totally changed’. Everything was front-footed. Maybe the problem is because we were so good, on the front foot and the pressing was on point and catching teams off guard, maybe teams know what we’re going to do.”
Wales now have two games in which to avoid going a full calendar year without winning for the first time since 1989, a run that would increase the pressure on Bellamy in his first international window since he was linked with the Burnley job.
Denmark’s victory over Wales also eased the pressure on their head coach Brian Riemer, and he was keen to stress that Bellamy’s side should not be disheartened by their opening results. “He has done a tremendous job,” Riemer said. “He’s also under a bit of pressure when it comes to injuries, a bit like us, and that gives him some headaches I imagine. We have the utmost respect for Wales, they went through the B group without losing a game and were unlucky for the World Cup, they only went out on penalties. It is a team that has given a lot of teams problems. To go to Portugal and lose with just one is not something you should feel miserable about. We expect a very difficult game in Cardiff.”