Craig Bellamy, known for his pursuit of excellence, witnessed his Wales squad approach near perfection on Tuesday night as they dominated North Macedonia 7-1. The victory not only secured second place in their World Cup qualifying group but also guaranteed home advantage for the playoff semi-final in March.
The Welsh players combined rapid, fluid attacking play with intense off-the-ball pressure, leaving their opponents struggling to cope. North Macedonia had previously conceded just three goals in seven qualifiers, yet they doubled that tally in the first 19 minutes of the match, leaving Cardiff City Stadium in awe.
Bellamy reflected on the performance, acknowledging the rarity of such displays. “I am not a perfect person; I haven’t come across anyone who is,” he said. “But that was as close to the perfect performance as I have seen. That was incredible.”
He highlighted the team’s use of three creative players rather than a traditional forward, noting how their movement and coordination created clear opportunities for wide players. “We were just so clean with the ball, and that allows you to have good chances,” he added.
Dominating from start to finish
The match, initially expected to be tense, quickly became one-sided. Wales overwhelmed a North Macedonian side that had not conceded away from home this campaign and only needed a draw to maintain second place. The Welsh display was free of anxiety, instead creating an electric, celebratory atmosphere in Cardiff.
Bellamy emphasized that the performance represented the realization of his coaching philosophy: persistent pressing combined with fluid forward movement and a strong focus on attacking. The team executed his vision flawlessly, producing a display that highlighted both tactical intelligence and physical intensity.
While acknowledging North Macedonia’s quality, Bellamy noted that Wales was ready to exploit opportunities. “I do feel there’s been a few games they’ve been fortunate in, and I did feel there was a team ready to hurt them, and I thought it could be us,” he said.
Warning to future opponents
Beyond the emphatic victory, Wales sent a clear message to their potential playoff rivals. The team will be drawn from pot two in Zurich on Thursday, ensuring a home semi-final against one of the pot three teams: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, or the Republic of Ireland. Home advantage for the final will also be determined during the draw.
Since the introduction of this format, Wales have played all four of their previous World Cup and European Championship play-off semi-finals and finals in Cardiff, winning three of them. This history adds weight to the significance of their upcoming matches in March.
Reflecting on Tuesday’s performance, Bellamy praised the team’s execution and readiness. “When we play at home, it’s very important for us. Tonight was as close to perfect as I could have asked for,” he said. He also cautioned that future opponents will be challenging, noting, “The teams in pot three are going to be similar to what we faced tonight.”