Harry Wilson says Craig Bellamy staying with Wales after talks with Burnley collapsed is a genuine boost for the squad. The Wales captain said Bellamy has made him a better player over the past 18 months and, beyond that, has made the national team better too. With a Nations League A campaign starting in September and a home Euros on the horizon, Wilson is not pretending the timing is minor.
Bellamy's impact on Wales
"Yes, obviously from a selfish point of view, I'm delighted that he stayed," Wilson told BBC Sport. "I think since he's come in 18 months, two years ago, he's definitely made me a better player."
He did not stop there. Wilson said Bellamy has improved the way Wales play and the ideas the squad take into games, adding that the coach has "definitely made our country a better team".
That view fits the numbers on Wilson's own season. He scored 10 goals in 36 Premier League appearances last season, and his recent Leeds form has been steady rather than spectacular, with 1 goal contribution in his last five matches and a 6.62 average rating across those games.
Wilson's move to Leeds
Wilson also said his move to Leeds was easier because of the Welsh group already there, with Ethan Ampadu the biggest influence. He said Ampadu had been on to him a lot, and that hearing positive things about the club, the city and the fans from the wider Welsh contingent helped make the decision simpler.
That is a neat detail, and it sits alongside the bigger one: Wilson sounds comfortable in his current spell, not just in club terms but in how he sees his place in the national setup. He said he feels like he is in the prime of his career, and his Wales record gives that claim some weight. He has 17 goals from 69 caps, with 12 of those coming in the past three years.
Bellamy's stay matters most because Wales now have a September Nations League A group with Portugal, Denmark and Norway. Wilson's praise is not just a polite endorsement of a coach who nearly left for Burnley in June. It is a captain saying the current set-up has already raised his level, and that the next run of games is too important to lose that continuity.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →