Harry Wilson is emerging as a key figure for Wales as the team navigates life after Gareth Bale. While acknowledging that Bale is irreplaceable, Wilson has been instrumental in filling the void left by the Welsh legend’s retirement. He even sports a similar hairstyle, using an Alice band like Bale did.
Wilson’s Goal-Scoring Prowess
Since Bale’s retirement in 2023, Harry Wilson has been Wales’s leading goal scorer. Twelve of his 17 international goals have come in this period. Many of these goals have been spectacular, reminiscent of Bale’s long-range strikes. He scored a hat-trick as he captained Wales to a 7-1 thrashing of North Macedonia in November.
Wales used to rely on Bale in their most important moments, now they turn to Wilson.
The Challenge of Replacing a Legend
The impact of Gareth Bale on Welsh football is undeniable, with more international goals and appearances than any other Welshman. Coping without Bale requires a collective effort, but Wilson has stepped up significantly. Despite the comparisons, Wilson insists that he is not trying to replace Bale. “We can’t replace Bale,” he stated. “He was our best ever player.”
Wilson added: “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.”
Wales’s World Cup Play-Off Hopes
Wales are preparing for their World Cup play-off semi-final against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Cardiff. Should they win, they will play either Italy or Northern Ireland in the final. In the previous play-offs where Wales qualified for the 2022 World Cup, Bale scored all three goals against Austria and Ukraine. The question is, could Wilson replicate that feat this time around?
Wilson’s Journey to the Forefront
While Bale’s career trajectory was a steady climb to the top, Wilson’s journey has been more gradual. Like Bale, Wilson became his country’s youngest ever international at 16. However, he struggled to break into the first team at Liverpool, leading to six loan spells before finding a permanent home at Fulham.
Wales face Bosnia-Herzegovina in their 2026 World Cup qualifying play-off semi-final on Thursday, 26 March at 19:45 GMT.