00:00For Wales, their unbeaten run in international football came to an end in dramatic fashion
00:07as they were beaten 4-3 by Belgium in Brussels on Monday evening.
00:12Wales had gone 3-0 down early in the game and yet managed to get themselves back to a level footing,
00:20drawing 3-3 with Belgium.
00:22But then Kevin De Bruyne struck towards the end of the game to break Welsh hearts.
00:27However, the Welsh team still are in a strong position in their World Cup qualifying group.
00:31And before that, they had beaten Liechtenstein 3-0.
00:35As I say as well, Wales have been on this long unbeaten run under Craig Bellamy,
00:39so things are still looking rosy in the Wales camp despite that late loss to Belgium.
00:45But what impact will that have on Wales going forward in this World Cup qualifying group?
00:49Because of course they want to make successive World Cups that they've qualified for.
00:53And as I say, they are still in a strong position.
00:55But, well, you'd hope at least that this result against Belgium wouldn't affect them too much.
01:01And I think they have to draw the positives of the fact that they managed to get the game back to 3-3
01:06and perhaps ignore the fact that they went 3-0 down in the game and also ended up losing late on.
01:12But let's go now to Charles Hague-Jones, our Wales sport correspondent.
01:16Charles, obviously frustration for Wales and disappointment of losing so late on,
01:20but there's a lot of positives to take in that game.
01:23But also, what can they learn from the negatives of going down early 3-0 and losing late on as well?
01:31Yeah, I mean, you know, it's so important to just give Craig Bellamy some credit.
01:34Obviously, we've mentioned him a number of times during the start of his reign,
01:38what was possibly to come, the optimism that he instilled.
01:41But, you know, you have to look back to that first ever press conference when he joined the media,
01:47the world media, the Welsh media, the home nation media to sort of say, this is what we're going to do.
01:52And, you know, there was a lot of critics coming in and thinking he's biting off a bit more than he can chew.
01:57He then goes, you know, 10 games unbeaten, four shorts against Belgium and Brussels in a massive game.
02:03But he showed he can compete and this side can compete.
02:07You know, you have to really respect international managers in terms of the limited amount of times they have with their players.
02:14You know, I really sort of admired the fact that he evaluated the group before these games and said,
02:21look, you know, some of them are coming off the back of a Europa League win, the likes of Brendan Johnson.
02:26A lot have been promoted to the Premier League with Leeds.
02:28There's a lot of highs in the group, but there was also some lows.
02:30There was also some, you know, players in the group that didn't have amazing seasons personally.
02:36So it's about getting the balance right.
02:38I really love that from Bellamy, trying to admire that sort of understanding of players.
02:44He's just clearly shown that he'd been a player before his time.
02:47And I think that's perfect in this generation we're in now.
02:51So many players become managers.
02:53It doesn't quite work out, but I think Bellamy's got his, he's found his sort of perch.
02:57He's really, really comfortable at the moment on such a grand stage.
03:01And I mean, you know, their first major display of progress, but, you know, came with promotion to the Nations League.
03:09You have to look at that.
03:10So there's been tactical shifts.
03:12You know, there's been player call-ups that you weren't expecting.
03:15They obviously got the promotion to the Nations League A, which was incredible.
03:19Their home form has been fantastic.
03:21Wales have just been this formidable beast.
03:24The goals they've scored, the tactical knowledge they've shown throughout games has been fantastic.
03:31This is still a young side.
03:32You've got to remember that as well.
03:34Be that nation that rises to the big occasions.
03:36I mean, it's all going to be seen, obviously, as trying to ensure that passage to the 2026 World Cup.
03:43Now, I mean, qualification is firmly in reach.
03:46Kazakhstan in return of Belgium is what's to come.
03:49At the back end of this year, massive, massive fixtures, especially Belgium and Cardiff.
03:54Can they get a win there?
03:55Would be an incredibly memorable one, probably the most, if they are to do so, in terms of Bellamy's tenure so far.
04:01Obviously, the contract runs to Euro 2028, which he's going to want to qualify towards with flying colours.
04:08And then go into that with another fantastic major tournament display under his belt.
04:12And, you know, as I said multiple times before, Wales football is certainly on the rise.
04:18That goes for the women's game as well.
04:21You know, be sure for them to look out and have a good Euro 2025 tour.
04:24I'm very surprised if they don't.
04:27But, yeah, loads of momentum, loads of positivity.
04:30And it all is still rising for Bellamy and Wales.
04:33So, yeah, so much positivity going on around the nation at the moment in terms of their football scene and, you know, loads to hope for in the coming months.
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