Harry Wilson: Wales are ‘desperate’ to join own party at Euro 2028

Harry Wilson says Wales are “desperate” to join their own party at Euro 2028.

Wales saw their World Cup dream ended in cruel fashion on Thursday when Bosnia and Herzegovina scored a late play-off semi-final equaliser in Cardiff and then prevailed on penalties.

It means Wales have a dead rubber at home to fellow play-offs losers Northern Ireland – who lost their semi-final in Italy – on Tuesday as UEFA rules mandate teams play twice during the international break.

Wales’ next competitive matches come in the autumn with Nations League A group games against Portugal, Denmark and Norway.

But Euro 2028 is looming on the horizon, with next year taken up qualifying for a tournament that Wales will co-host alongside England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.

Wales would actually kick off the month-long competition in Cardiff on June 9, 2028 should they qualify for the 24-team tournament.

“Even though we’re all disappointed, it’s about looking forward now,” said Fulham forward Wilson.

“We know that we’ve got a Nations League A campaign to come.

“It’s going to be tough but those are the games you want to play in and then on to the next Euros, which we’re all desperate to play at home.

“The talk after the game was ‘we know that on our day we’re a really good team’. We showed that throughout the qualifying campaign.”

Wales missed out on a second-successive World Cup finals appearance after a roller-coaster ride under Craig Bellamy.

They hammered North Macedonia 7-1 with home play-off advantage on the line and scored a record 21 goals in a qualification group.

But 4-3 and 4-2 defeats to Belgium ultimately denied them an automatic World Cup ticket this summer.

Bellamy gathered his players in a post-match huddle at Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday and he revealed later that he said “exciting times” lie ahead for them.

Wilson said: “To finish the qualifying so strongly, I felt we were in a really good position going into the semi-final, but it just wasn’t meant to be.

“Craig just said how proud he was of the way we’ve played and the team we are.

“The fans were incredible and the anthem was one of the best I’ve heard – we really felt that.

“They pushed us on, especially late on when people start to get tired. They really pushed us forward.

“I’m just as gutted for them that we weren’t able to get through to the final.”