Browsing: Wales

It has been suggested that McKenna would be open to speaking to Celtic given his boyhood allegiances.

“Growing up, we all have our affinities,” he said when asked about those. “I don’t think everyone has to go around and announce what they were, but of course it’s a really big football club.”

McKenna signed a new four-year contract in 2024 and was asked about his reported £5m release clause.

“In every manager’s contract, there are things,” he replied. “I don’t know what mine are and, if I did, I wouldn’t tell you anyway!

“I approach this job like I’ll be Ipswich manager forever. I know that’s not always going to be the case, but I’ll always do my best as long as I am here.”

Bellamy played for Celtic on loan from Newcastle United in 2005, but the former Wales striker is minded to complete the current World Cup campaign, a stance that would effectively rule out the 46-year-old from immediately taking the Celtic job.

Wales are currently third in their qualifying group behind leaders Belgium and second-placed North Macedonia.

Victories over Liechtenstein and North Macedonia in November would book their place in the qualification play-offs, but they are all but assured of making those, thanks to a successful Nations League campaign, even if they fail to finish as Group J runners-up.

Given his current stance, Bellamy, whose contract expires after Euro 2028, would not be available until after the play-offs at the earliest.

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• Joey Lynch

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  Joey Lynch is a Melbourne-based sports journalist and AYA cancer advocate. Primarily working on football, he has covered the Socceroos, Matildas and A-Leagues for ESPN for over a decade.

Oct 25, 2025, 07:52 PM ET

The most obvious theme of the Matildas’ clash with Wales on Saturday, one that saw Australia take out a 2-1 win thanks to Caitlin Foord’s 85th-minute strike, was that of reconnection.

725 days after she last pulled on the green-and-gold, Sam Kerr was back in action for Australia’s women, starting up top alongside familiar collaborators Caitlin Foord and Hayley Raso. And while the striker’s inability to get even the most glancing of touches on Courtney Nevin’s 28th-minute opener denied the headline writers their chance to celebrate her international return with a goal on debut — the fullback instead getting her first international goal with the free kick — the 65 minutes of football Kerr logged represented an important milestone in the journey to, what Australia hopes, will be a fit and firing talisman leading the line at next year’s home Women’s Asian Cup.

But just as one pivotal figure in the growth of women’s football Down Under was reintroducing herself on the international stage, another was making her farewell. Jess Fishlock played for the 166th and final time in a Welsh shirt, following last week’s announcement that the clash with the Matildas would be the final one in a 19-year Cymru career. It added an extra level of reverence to Saturday’s contest, something that even the most oblivious of observers would have been able to pick up when Fishlock led the stadium in one of the most stirring renditions of “Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau” you’re ever likely to hear.

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A couple of hours later, as the fourth official’s board went up and signalled Fishlock’s 92nd-minute withdrawal for youngster Tianna Teisar, it was time for the crowd to rise again, not to be led in song by their living legend but to serenade her with cheers on the pitch for one final time. As the 38-year-old made her way off the pitch, waving to stands that had risen to their feet to bid her farewell, she was first embraced by Matildas coach Joe Montemurro, who had coached her at both Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City in the A-League Women, and then by Welsh boss Rhian Wilkinson, with both dugouts behind them also rising to their feet. A deserved mark of respect for a player who left a lasting mark on Australian football and an irreplaceable one on the Welsh game.

“I love being Welsh,” Fishlock would tell the crowd post-game and go on to add, “I don’t want to be sad about it because I’ve had the best time ever.”

It should probably be noted that Fishlock’s departure from the international stage doesn’t represent a total farewell, of course; the veteran will return to the Seattle Reign for the NWSL playoffs following the international window and told the BBC earlier this week that she hopes to play for another season in 2026. But a year on from the international retirements of Clare Polkinghorne and Lydia Williams, and with Australia preparing to mark another landmark in the growth of the women’s game through its hosting of next year’s Asian Cup, Fishlock’s departure from the international game, and the inextricable march towards the point where she will hang up the boots completely, feels like yet another marker of the looming end of a golden era.

Across stints with both Victory and City, Fishlock became a four-time champion of the W-League (now the A-League Women) during her time in Australia, as well as a two-time premier. Taking the reins of City as a player-coach following Montemurro’s shift across to City’s men’s teams — a role he would only briefly hold before departing to take over at Arsenal — Fishlock joined a select group of women to coach a side to a championship when City lifted the 2016-17 title, the second of three straight she would win in Bundoora.

Jess Fishlock played for the 166th and final time in a Cymru shirt on Saturday, having left indelible mark on Welsh football, Australian football, and pretty much everywhere in between. Harry Murphy/Getty Images

Few players who have ever graced the Dub have demonstrated the ability to take over games quite like Fishlock did at City, with there existing some fixtures in which it simply looked like she’d simply decided that she wasn’t going to lose this game and then manifested a more favourable result through sheer skill and willpower. Her best-on-ground performance in the 2018 W-League Grand Final exemplified this, helping to drive her side to a three-peat in hot and steamy conditions in Sydney, lobbing Aubrey Bledsoe from range to open the scoring before sending in the free kick that bounced off the crossbar and into the path of Jodie Taylor to seal it with 15 minutes to go.

Indeed, given the role that those early City teams played in forcing the rest of the competition to raise their standards, and the role that Fishlock played in helping to drive success in the City dressing room, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that the Welsh legend’s time in Australia is still, no matter how faintly, being felt today. And that’s to say nothing of the benefits gleaned by the bevy of Matildas that shared a dressing room with Fishlock, be it at Victory or City.

“Jess is an idol, an amazing footballer, an intelligent person, and I could go on,” Montemurro said ahead of Saturday’s game.

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“I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Jess as a person, and she really helped me through a journey with Melbourne City when we were building a team from scratch. Her intelligence and ability to understand people and the game are amazing.

“I don’t need to sit here and give you all these explanations about her, because every accolade she gets tomorrow, she deserves, and many more. I hope she still contributes to the game, because I think there are very few big role models in world football who have done so much. I hope Jess stays in the game for a long time.”

Of course, that Fishlock can be so closely tied to so many of the current Matildas’ setup — be it as a teammate or adversary — and is now stepping away from the international game also carries with it a perhaps not all too pleasant connotation for green-and-gold devotees. It’s another reminder that, unless your name is Melissa Barbieri, age comes for us all, and that, while few would argue that Fishlock has done anything but go out on her own terms, like Williams and Polkinghorne before her, goodbyes are always hard.

And whereas Fishlock was finally able to experience a major tournament at this year’s Euros before she stepped away from the international game, the lowered expectations associated with Wales’ first entrance helping to soothe the sting of their three losses; there’s something of a contrast with the Matildas, here.

Because for many of the veterans in the group, some of whom will push to be a part of the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and some of whom will not, next year’s Asian Cup as not only the last chance to play a major tournament on home soil but — for those not part of the 2010 triumph — to finally break through that barrier and seal their Golden Generation tag with silverware.

The hope will be the reconnection with Kerr, who was there back in China in 2010 at just 16 years old, can play a part in that. And while Fishlock’s international journey is now at an end, another one is just beginning for the Matildas.

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Jess Fishlock, widely regarded as the Wales Womenâ€s national teamâ€s greatest player, has announced she will retire from international football after this monthâ€s home friendly against Australia.

The 38-year-old is Wales†record goalscorer, despite predominantly playing as a midfielder, and their most-capped player, with 165 international appearances and 48 goals.

Perhaps even more significantly, she has played a talismanic role in the team for nearly two decades, frequently being the standout star, stepping up in their biggest matches and scoring memorable match winners. She was awarded an MBE for services to womenâ€s football and the LGBT community in 2018. She became Wales†first footballer to reach a century of caps in 2017.

Fishlock cemented her place in the Cymru history books when she scored Wales†first goal at a major womenâ€s international tournament in July, finding the net against France in St Gallen, Switzerland, during a group-stage defeat at Euro 2025.

“The Euros was the pinnacle of my football career; seeing the dragon on the world stage for the first time will be a memory that will stay with me for a lifetime,†Fishlock posted on social media. “To all the players and staff, past and present, diolch [thank you]. It has been an incredible journey.â€

After starting with Cardiff City, she has spent most of her career overseas, predominantly with the NWSL club Seattle Reign, whom she joined in 2013. She has helped Reign win three NWSL shields and was named as the NWSLâ€s MVP in 2021, making the NWSLâ€s “best XI†five times.

Fishlock won the Champions League with Lyon in 2019 during a loan spell, and has also had successful loans with clubs including Melbourne City and Reading. Her club career continues, with the NWSL end-of-season playoffs approaching.

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After Wales†exit from Julyâ€s Euros in Switzerland, Fishlock said she needed a “little time to think†about her Wales future and her decision comes before the squad announcement for Wales†home friendlies against Australia, on 25 October, and Poland, on 28 October.

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Wales’ World Cup qualifier at home to Belgium on Monday already had the feel of a big game. Now, it has the makings of a defining night.

That is because Wales’ fate is back in their own hands, thanks to Belgium’s goalless draw at home to North Macedonia on Friday.

If Craig Bellamy’s side win their three remaining games, they will qualify for next summer’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

That, though, is quite a big if.

The most imposing hurdle to clear is arguably their next one.

This might not be the Belgium that finished third at the 2018 World Cup or the team that topped the world rankings just three years ago, but they are still formidable opponents with the likes of Kevin de Bruyne and Jeremy Doku among their phalanx of attacking talent.

Not that Wales are intimidated, not with a head coach as single-minded – and optimistic – as Bellamy.

“I believe there’s always a special moment coming,” he said.

“Players have been in this situation so many times over the last 10 years, especially Cardiff nights. When we’ve managed to qualify, it’s been here. The crowd is used to this environment and these moments.

“You just have to embrace it. Embrace it and enjoy it. Tomorrow night we’re home, full stadium, just enjoy every second of it.”

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Tuchel is well known for being direct and sometimes confrontational in his quotes.

In August he apologised for describing midfielder Jude Bellingham’s on-field behaviour as “repulsive”, saying he used the word “unintentionally”.

Tuchel has made friends and enemies at many of the previous clubs he has managed: Mainz, Borussia Dortmund, Paris St-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich.

Is this a cultural thing – and Germans are more direct than English fans are used to – or just a Tuchel thing?

German journalist Constantin Eckner believes it is the latter.

“That has nothing to do with Tuchel being German,” he said.

“That’s just how Tuchel thinks and acts. He is very direct, blatantly honest and can be annoyed by certain things.

“He rarely holds back, and is in a sense the new Jose Mourinho, who similarly speaks his mind during press conferences and post-game interviews.”

Eckner says some of this comes from Tuchel being used to club football. This is his first international job, starting it at the beginning of 2025.

“It certainly is a deviation from the way Gareth Southgate behaved during his tenure,” the journalist said.

“Also, I think Tuchel is not yet used to home crowds being that reserved, which can happen at international games.

“During his time as a club manager, the home fans were usually buzzing. Even Mainz had a great home game atmosphere.”

After the quotes on Bellingham which were heavily critised, Tuchel said: “I thought I had a little more credit with you guys [media] that I do all this in my second language.”

But this instance is not a case of using the wrong word.

Eckner said: “In a way, people have to live with Tuchel being this direct. His command of the English language is very good.”

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Jordan Pickford: A history-making night for the keeper as he broke the record he shared with Gordon Banks for the number of consecutive clean sheets, which now stands at eight. Made a smart save to deny David Brooks, but didn’t have much more to trouble him. 6

Ezri Konsa: The Aston Villa defender was moved to right-back as John Stones came into the centre and the absence of the injured Reece James. Konsa looked solid as he has done in the past when playing in that position for England and offered an attacking outlet. Not tested defensively. 6

John Stones: His first match under Thomas Tuchel since he became England manager. Stones stepped into midfield to start attacks and it was an extremely comfortable return to international football after his injury troubles. 6

Marc Guehi: The Crystal Palace defender was his usual composed self at centre-back. Produced a great piece of play to keep the ball in and set up Morgan Rogers for his opening goal. Guehi must be a first-choice defender for England. 7

Djed Spence: Not anything of note to deal with defensively on his first start for England. A good outlet in attack and continues to be a versatile asset. 6

Declan Rice: Captain for the night and lived up to the honour. Bossed the midfield with his running power and dictated the game with his passing. His corners and free-kicks were always quality. 8

Elliot Anderson: Continues to make the number six position his own. Plays with maturity but still only 22. Has a real chance to become a key part of the England team. 7

Morgan Rogers: A favourite of Tuchel and one of the big options as a number 10. A great moment for him to score his first England goal and his powerful running caused Wales problems throughout the match. 8

Bukayo Saka: The Arsenal winger was a constant threat on the right wing – just as he is for his club. He scored the goal of the match with a real moment of quality when he cut in on his left foot and curled a shot into the top corner. 8

Anthony Gordon: Started the match on the left wing and was then moved to striker after Ollie Watkins was withdrawn. He played with his usual energy and pace and contributed to a solid win. 7

Ollie Watkins: A goal for Watkins. He hasn’t played much under Tuchel but the Villa front man took his chance when it came and is the clear backup for captain Harry Kane. But missed another good opportunity and a collision with a post led to injury and a half-time withdrawal. 7

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“You never learn more than when you get your ass kicked,†Craig Bellamy had said matter-of-factly of cherry-picking a friendly against England and, presumably, he kept telling himself that as Thomas Tuchelâ€s side eviscerated his bewildered Wales team within the opening 19 and a half minutes. Bellamy stood open-mouthed, eyes frozen, on the edge of his technical area after Bukayo Saka located the top corner of Karl Darlowâ€s goal to make it 3-0 and the reality is it should have been 4-0 inside 40 minutes. No wonder Bellamy found himself glancing towards one of the giant scoreboards.

In many ways the Wales manager predicted this, jesting a boxing promoter would not pit the teams together owing to the gulf between the squads, and 20 minutes in it felt worth pondering if there was any value in stopping the count. Bellamy defended selecting this fixture, insisting his squad would relish the challenge of facing a team fourth in the Fifa rankings and that the contest would provide him a barometer of where they stand before Mondayâ€s crunch World Cup qualifier at home to Belgium. He spied similarities between England and Belgium and suggested the post-match analysis clips would retain their value rather than requiring them to start over.

There was a touch of pantomime to the pre-match jousting between foes, chiefly the boisterous jeering of each otherâ€s anthems. So much for Bellamy saying the teams cannot consider themselves rivals because of how irregularly they face each other, this the first meeting between the nations since England cantered to 3-0 group-stage victory at the World Cup in Qatar, which sent Wales packing. That match was Gareth Baleâ€s 111th and final appearance in a Wales shirt, withdrawn at half-time after only seven first-half touches. Liam Cullen, the Swansea forward operating in a midfield role, managed a mere four in the opening 47 minutes here; by comparison, the commanding Elliot Anderson and Declan Rice racked up 55 and 50 respectively. The most alarming thing was how quickly this game, too, descended into a nonevent.

The early intentions had been good, David Brooks tearing towards Anderson to pinch the ball before galloping forward inside the first minute. It was one of few Wales actions that spoke to Bellamyâ€s vow that his team would not be tourists. They were, however, undoubtedly second best, England completing almost twice as many passes as they hogged possession and Walesâ€s first shot on target did not arrive until the 56th minute, when Jordan Pickford repelled a Brooks volley. In the first half England managed 25 touches in the opposition box to Walesâ€s five and Walesâ€s sole shot was a wayward Harry Wilson effort that corkscrewed harmlessly away from Pickford.

The Wales defence was missing when England led inside 130 seconds. Bellamy, in a bomber jacket, turned in disgust after Neco Williams failed to track Marc Guéhi and retreated to the dugout to take a second look with his assistant, Piet Cremers. It made for grim viewing and the vast Wembley bowl seemed to swallow those in red and grow bigger every time England breached the Wales goal. Bellamy warned his players to expect “Champions League speed†and Wales struggled to cope with the hosts†speed of thought. A difficult test morphed into an exercise in damage limitation.

The Wales fans saw little to be cheered by in the first half at Wembley. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

A quadruple substitution midway through the second half featured Ben Davies, on his 99th cap, Williams, this his half-century for his country, Ethan Ampadu and Wilson depart with the bigger picture in mind. It was at that point that the almost 8,000-strong band of Wales supporters decided to play the hits. “Wales away, a-huh, a-huh, I like it,†they sang on loop, many fans by now, naturally, shirtless. It seemed to translate to the pitch – Wales unhinged, one of those substitutes, Chris Mepham, forcing Pickford into a rare save. Mark Harris, the Oxford striker who also entered off the bench, sent a header over, the cameras panning to Ian Rush in the stands.

Wales had to play a friendly as it is a World Cup qualifying round but defeat will have a negative effect on their ranking – and potentially their ranking for the playoffs next March. The Welsh optimists, Bellamy among them, will point towards the extra day of recovery time – Belgium host North Macedonia on Friday – and the relatively little travel as positives before welcoming Kevin De Bruyne and co to Cardiff.

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On the pitch at least it felt a demoralising evening after so much progress under Bellamy, this only his third defeat since taking charge 15 months ago, but the most important thing is that the disappointment does not linger, that the damage is not lasting. Williams was scratching his head at the interval and he was not the only one left feeling punch-drunk. For Wales, this proved an uncomfortable clinic and Bellamy can only hope his side learn their lessons in time for Monday.

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Declan Rice, Englandâ€s captain for the night, speaks to ITV. “Itâ€s an honour in [Harry Kaneâ€s] absence … you can never take these moments for granted … itâ€s a massive game … a big one … hopefully we can build on what we did last camp … when you play England-Wales itâ€s always a fiery fixture … the history between us … got to keep pushing … energy … enthusiasm … keep playing with freedom … we need to win tonight and keep building momentum.â€

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A reminder of how England fared in their last match …

… and this was Wales†last competitive fixture.

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England make four changes to their starting XI from the 5-0 rout of Serbia last month. Harry Kane, Reece James, Tino Livramento and Noni Madueke are all injured, so in come Ollie Watkins, John Stones, Djed Spence (making his first start) and Bukayo Saka. Declan Rice takes temporary ownership of the captainâ€s armband. James Trafford, Jarrell Quansah and Nico Oâ€Reilly are on the bench hoping to win their first cap at some point tonight.

Wales named an experimental side for the 0-1 defeat to Canada last month. Only Neco Williams, Ben Davies, Harry Wilson and David Brooks keep their shirts from that match. Craig Bellamy goes strong, with Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Kieffer Moore and Brennan Johnson all returning.

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The teams

England:Pickford, Konsa, Stones, Guehi, Spence, Rice, Anderson, Saka, Rogers, Gordon, Watkins.
Subs: Dean Henderson, Lewis-Skelly, Jordan Henderson, Kane, Eze, Rashford, Burn, Gibbs-White, Loftus-Cheek, Bowen, Quansah, Oâ€Reilly, Trafford.

Wales: Darlow, Williams, Ampadu, Rodon, Ben Davies, Dasilva, Brooks, Cullen, Wilson, Johnson, Moore.
Subs: King, Mepham, Koumas, Rubin Colwill, Cabango, Jordan James, Harris, Thomas, Isaak Davies, Sheehan, Broadhead, Kpakio, Lawlor, Joel Colwill, Adam Davies.

Referee: Urs Schnyder (Switzerland).

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Updated at 14.12 EDT

Preamble

Unfortunately for fans of thetîm pêl-droed cenedlaethol Cymru, the following article, published in this corner of the information superhighway nine years ago, is still completely relevant today.

Since Mark Hughes scored the winner for Wales against England in 1984, the two neighbours and rivals have met on the association-football pitch seven times. England have won all seven of those matches, to the cumulative tune of 14-1. The last three of those games, during those aforementioned last nine years, count for 8-1 of that score. So thereâ€s a good reason England are hot favourites tonight, not least because theyâ€re at home … and Wales havenâ€t won this particular fixture since 1977 – Leighton James slotting a penalty after being fouled by Peter Shilton – and then before that 1936, when participants at Molineux including Ted Drake, Cliff Bastin, Bryn Jones and Jimmy Murphy wore black armbands to mourn the recent death of King George V. England is not their happiest hunting ground.

But Having Said All That dept. Wales have only lost twice in 11 matches under Craig Bellamy. Only one of those losses was in a competitive fixture, and in that they came from three down against Belgium only to ship the point they surely deserved right at the end. Plus theyâ€ve been good to watch, and Bellamy says he and his team are turning up this evening with a view to having a right go. So this could be fun. Kick-off is at 7.45pm UK time. Itâ€s on!

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Updated at 13.52 EDT

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