Bosnia killed Wales’ World Cup dream in Cardiff by beating the hosts on penalties to set up Italy showdown
07:03, 27 Mar 2026Updated 08:23, 27 Mar 2026
Craig Bellamy, head coach of Wales, speaks to his team
Craig Bellamy appeared to hint his future lies with Wales after they suffered World Cup playoff heartbreak against Bosnia.
Dan James’ screamer shortly after half-time almost took the roof off the Cardiff City Stadium.
But evergreen Edin Dzeko hit a late leveller as the Bosnian’s went on to triumph on penalties and book a final date with Italy.
Bellamy has been linked with a return to Celtic as Martin O’Neill’s permanent successor this summer.
The Welshman played for the Hoops on loan in 2005, scoring seven times in 12 appearances.
He’s one of the potential contenders to take the reins at Parkhead this summer, but was only looking to the future with Wales after delivering an emotional post-match team talk to his players in an end-of-game huddle on the pitch.
“When you see players who are really feeling it and are emotional at that present moment, I felt I had to say something,” he explained.
“Really what it is, is ‘look, I know it’s not a consolation at this present moment, but there’s some exciting times ahead for you as a group of players. you have the Nations League coming up, you have a home nations Euros coming. It’s not a bad time to be a Welsh footballer’.
“My heart hurts. Not my head. I haven’t really felt like this towards a group of players, because I’ve probably never had a group of players for myself as a coach.
“But actually it really hurts for them, because to get to back-to-back World Cups was our target. When you’ve not got there and you see players really disappointed, it hurts you more.
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“But as I said to them in the huddle. This is going to keep getting better. It’s going to keep improving. I believe players coming into it are going to enhance the Welsh team as well. I only see a bright future for us.”
Bellamy is convinced the future is bright for the Welsh and he insisted there would no delay on his part in trying to make them better and ready to go again.
“Let’s get over tonight,” he said. “Let it hurt. There’s a bright future. I know that’s easy to say, but there really is. I’ll hurt tonight and I’m accepting to let that hurt sink in. It’s sinking in now as I’m talking.
“It’ll be a sleepless night, but it makes me ever more determined tomorrow. The sun will rise. And I’m going to watch that sunrise tomorrow.
“Then straight away it’s ‘how do we go again? How do I go again? How do I improve? How does the team improve? There will be a solution.”