Bale left big boots to fill - will Wilson fire Wales to World Cup?

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Harry Wilson scored a hat-trick as he captained Wales to a 7-1 thrashing of North Macedonia in November

121 CommentsOne player cannot replace Gareth Bale – Wales' greatest is simply irreplaceable – but Harry Wilson is giving the impossible job a pretty good go.

It is difficult to overstate the void Bale left. More international goals and appearances than any other Welshman, and the stats only hint at the transformational effect the former Real Madrid forward had on his country.

Coping without Bale has had to be a collective effort. Wilson, however, has stepped up more than most.

Since Bale retired in 2023, Wilson has scored more goals than any of his countrymen. In fact, 12 of his 17 career international goals have come during that time.

Many have been spectacular, adding to a showreel of long-range strikes to rival Bale's back catalogue.

Most have come with Wilson's left foot too, a source of magic akin to the one Bale possessed.

There is even a slight suggestion of a physical resemblance. Well, maybe that's pushing the comparison, but Wilson's flowing locks now require an Alice band like Bale's. A nod to the hair apparent?

Where Wales used to rely on Bale in their most important moments, now they turn to Wilson.

Craig Bellamy's side face Bosnia-Herzegovina in their World Cup play-off semi-final in Cardiff on Thursday and, if they are victorious, they will host Italy or Northern Ireland in the final the following Tuesday.

When Wales beat Austria and Ukraine in play-offs to reach the 2022 World Cup, Bale scored all three goals.

Could Wilson do similar this time?

"He carried us through games, he got us to major tournaments and the performances he put in in those tournaments were incredible.

"I never saw it as 'I have to replace Bale', I just knew along with the other attacking players we've got massive boots to fill, a big void to fill. As a collective we have to do that.

"I'm really happy with the way I've played and my numbers since Gaz left. But it definitely wasn't the case of me replacing him because no-one can do that."

Wales v Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cardiff City Stadium

2026 World Cup qualifying play-off semi-final

Thursday, 26 March at 19:45 GMT

Given Bale's heights for club and country, you can understand the reluctance to make the comparison.

Whereas Bale's career was almost a linear surge towards the very top, Wilson's journey has been a slow slalom to his current status as one of the most in-form players this Premier League season.

Like Bale, Wilson became his country's youngest ever international at 16. But he could not make the transition from academy starlet to first team at Liverpool. Six different loan moves saw him make intermittent impressions before finding a home at Fulham.

Even then, in his first three seasons after a key role in helping the club to the Premier League, more than half his appearances were from the bench.

Unthinkable now given his 10 goals and six assists have had some of the very best taking notice, especially with speculation over his next move gathering pace given his Fulham deal ends this summer.

"There will be other clubs looking at him because everything good about Fulham comes through Harry Wilson," said Match of the Day pundit Wayne Rooney following Wilson's weekend goal against Burnley. "His goals, his assists, his vision, everything about his game has been brilliant.

"He's been outstanding all season, but it makes me wonder why is it coming now? Why haven't we seen it consistently throughout his career?"

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Harry Wilson (right) replaced Gareth Bale during Wales' 2022 World Cup play-off win over Ukraine

It may be down to injuries and opportunities - or lack of given he rarely started more than three Premier League games in a row for Fulham before last season.

Or it may just be a mixture of coincidence and confidence.

"Sometimes it just clicks for a player," says Wales head coach Craig Bellamy.

"The older you get, not just as a footballer but as a person, the wiser you become, the smarter you become.

"His football IQ is very high. His positioning, his understanding of the game I see has definitely gone on to another level."

Wilson's Wales team-mate Ethan Ampadu adds: "I'm not sure why it's taken others so long to realise it because he's always been at those levels and for us it's no surprise.

"Everyone has known his qualities, but this year it's been nice to see the wider audience speak about him more because we know what he can do with the magic of his left foot."

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'I’ve never seen myself as replacing Bale' - Harry Wilson

That is something Wilson has been able to showcase more and more this season, when he has often conjured something out of nothing.

His highlight reel and a December goal of the month award for the outside of the boot strike against Crystal Palace back up such thinking, as do the statistics that show only Manchester City's Antoine Semenyo has outscored his xG (expected goals) by as much as Wilson. In other words, he scores goals he has no right to.

As former Wales captain Barry Horne puts it: "Let's not compare him to a recent, previous goalscorer and creator who shall remain nameless, but he is Wales' creative heartbeat at the moment. Free-kicks, open play, he's the man we'll be looking to to make things happen for us."

"For us to achieve what we want it will be about the collective, players, staff, fans," says Ampadu.

"But when you look at a player who can create a moment of magic from nothing it's definitely a confidence booster."

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