Williams still hurting over Wales World Cup miss

ByChris Wathan

BBC Sport Wales

Neco Williams admits missing out on this summer's World Cup still hurts because he was convinced Wales would have made an impact in America.

Wales were denied a second successive appearance on the game's biggest stage when they lost their play-off semi-final with Bosnia-Herzegovina.

It was a defeat particularly painful for Nottingham Forest defender Williams having missed a crucial penalty in the shootout heartbreak.

However, despite the lingering disappointment, the 25-year-old says this week's friendlies with Ghana and Romania are the first steps to moving on as the squad eyes a home European Championships in 2028.

Tuesday's opponents in Cardiff will be a reminder of what could have been, with Ghana preparing to play in the same World Cup group as England.

"We know what the fans are feeling because we are feeling the exactly the same, all the emotions of not going to America," Williams told BBC Sport Wales.

"I think the most disappointing thing about not getting to the tournament is I feel if we had got there, we would have given it a real go. We would have had a good chance of going far.

"But this is the reality – the fans have got to stick with us, believe in us as players and the manager and the good times will come."

Much of the rest of the world, however, will be looking elsewhere this summer rather than two year's time when Wales co-host the Euros with England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.

Finishing runners-up to Belgium in their group, Wales had been fancied to beat Bosnia at home to set up a winner-takes-all game against Italy in Cardiff.

"I'm still gutted and I'm sure most of the lads are," Williams added. "It's not every day you get the opportunity to go the World Cup and we fell short on the night."

Wales were four minutes from victory before Edin Dzeko cancelled out Dan James' stunning opener, the game eventually going to penalties where Crystal Palace's Brennan Johnson missed his effort before Williams' attempt was saved.

James - whose penalty miss had ended Wales' Euro 2024 qualification hopes two years earlier – was the first to rally around Williams, who said that was a sign of the squad's togetherness.

But he added: "When something like that happens, you don't want to speak to anyone or be seen.

"But the group we have make you forget about it very quickly.

"The best players in the world miss penalties and you just have to dust yourself down, get over it and focus on the next tournament."

Tuesday, 2 June,19:45 BST

Cardiff City Stadium

Strictly speaking, Wales' next tournament is the Nations League, with top-tier fixtures against Portugal, Denmark and Norway due in the autumn – and an undoubted test of the side's capability under Craig Bellamy.

However, with the World Cup out of reach, the next real chance of a major stage is the Euros, with games in Cardiff's Principality Stadium on offer should Wales qualify.

It is that prospect that has motivated Bellamy, the subject of interest from Burnley recently, but who Williams said still has more to show with this squad of players.

"Since he's come in, he's changed so much within the team," the 55-cap defender said. "But, at the same time, it hasn't been very long so the more time we have, the better we're going to be.

"We're enjoying it, we've got the Nations League to test ourselves against the best teams, and then we have the aim of the next tournament and the Euros.

"Two years will fly and picturing walking out at the stadium is unbelievable – they're the moments you want in football."

Much could change before then, including Williams' club - if admirers get their way.

A figure of consistency for Forest in a year where they had four managers, the Liverpool academy graduate was named the club's player of the year.

He says there is a natural disappointment in how the season panned out, with the club having to fight off relegation and missing out on a Europa League final after a last-four defeat by Aston Villa.

Villa – along with Everton, Manchester United and Newcastle – are among the admirers in Williams, who still has three years left on his City Ground deal but is thought to have opened talks on a new contract.

"I've got representatives to sort that kind of stuff out but I'm just enjoying my football," he said.

"We've got these two games and then I can enjoy a little break and that's what I'm focused on at the minute."

That, and Wales' next crack at a major finals with the countdown to Euro 2028 having begun.

For Wales, at least.