Craig Bellamy has highlighted the significant difference in squad depth between Wales and England, likening it to a mismatch that a boxing promoter would avoid. Wales are set to face England in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday before focusing on an important World Cup qualifier against Belgium next week. Currently, Bellamy's team is third in Group J, trailing North Macedonia by one point and level with Belgium, who have a game in hand.
Despite leaving out key players like Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, and Jack Grealish, England manager Thomas Tuchel still commands a squad rich in talent. Bellamy acknowledged this disparity openly. "England have a ridiculous squad, like France," he said. "They have a transfer market value of 1.4 billion, ours
is 170 million. If you were a boxing promoter, you wouldn't put us together. It wouldn't be allowed. "
The Welsh coach believes that facing such strong opponents boosts his team's motivation. He stated, "We don't go off values, but they don't just have one team—they have two, three, four. " Since becoming head coach in 2024, Bellamy has led Wales on a nine-game unbeaten streak and has only lost two out of twelve matches so far.
Bellamy expressed admiration for England's depth by joking about their abundance of players: "One right-back went out injured the other day and there's only 24 more to go! They've got 60-odd players. I'd love us to be stacked like them. "
Bellamy also praised England's manager Thomas Tuchel as an exceptional tactician. He remarked, "I wanted to be up against that—see how you adapt because he will. I'll get to learn from that. I'd love to get to that level. " This reflects Bellamy's eagerness to grow by competing against top-level managers.
The upcoming matches are crucial for Wales as they aim to secure their position in the World Cup qualifiers. Facing elite teams like England provides valuable experience for Bellamy's squad as they strive for success on the international stage.
