Bellamy ready to start Rodon against Haaland despite injury lay-off

Nation.Cymru staff/agencies

Craig Bellamy says he is ready to start Joe Rodon against Erling Haaland when Wales face Norway in Oslo on Saturday, despite the defender having played just two minutes since August.

The Leeds centre-back injured his hamstring against Brentford on 30 August and made his return as a late substitute in last weekend’s 1–0 Premier League win over Tottenham.

Wales are without Ben Cabango, who kept Haaland from scoring in their 2–1 win over Norway in Cardiff last month. The Swansea defender and Hull winger Sorba Thomas are both suspended after picking up two bookings in the Nations League.

Asked whether Rodon was ready to start, Bellamy said: “He’s had a good week.

“He’s been training for a number of weeks, and of course, they’re not the same as games.”

The Wales manager said Rodon’s fitness record before the injury gave him confidence and that he had seen no sign of it troubling the defender in training this week.

Wales sit above bottom-placed Norway in Group A4 thanks to their head-to-head record. Staying in the top tier of the Nations League is at stake, along with Euro 2028 seeding. Bellamy said finishing third would give Wales the chance to be a top seed for the first time.

He said Wales would need to improve on their performance in Cardiff to get a result in Oslo.

“What we have done against Norway in Cardiff will not be enough here,” Bellamy said.

“There has to be more with the ball. We have to be the best version of ourselves.”

Bellamy credited Wales’s high defensive line in Cardiff with limiting Haaland’s influence. He said his side would again look to press from the front and play with intensity.

The Manchester City striker has scored 65 goals in 59 appearances for Norway and is the Nations League’s all-time leading scorer with 22.

Wales captain Ben Davies, who played alongside Cabango in the Cardiff win, said: “He didn’t score and that’s the level he’s reached, that everyone kind of expects it from him.

“We did well last time and we hope to do the same again, but we know what a good player he is.”