‘They don’t scare me’ – Jordan James relishing Wales showdown with Portugal

Nation.Cymru staff/agencies

Jordan James says Wales will not be intimidated by Portugal’s array of world-class stars as Craig Bellamy’s depleted side prepare to begin their Nations League campaign in Lisbon.

Wales face Portugal on Thursday with several regulars missing through injury and Cristiano Ronaldo expected to lead a squad packed with some of European football’s biggest names.

Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo and Pedro Neto are among the options available to Portugal, alongside Paris St Germain trio Vitinha, Joao Neves and Nuno Mendes.

But James, now on loan at Wolves from French club Rennes, insists Wales have nothing to fear.

“They are among the best players in the world – you can’t really sugarcoat it,” said the 22-year-old midfielder.

“They have Champions League winners and world-class quality across the pitch.

“I was fortunate enough to play against several of them when I was at Rennes, particularly against PSG, so I know first hand what top players they are.

“Vitinha is one of the best midfielders in the world. Unbelievable technically, very tidy on the ball and capable of unlocking a low block.

“Joao Neves is a similar profile to Vitinha, very, very good technically. But none of these players scare me. They’re human, they only have two legs and they make mistakes.

“Our job is to identify those mistakes and punish them.”

James has previous experience of taking on some of the world’s leading midfielders in a Wales shirt.

He was still a teenager when Wales beat Croatia 2-1 in Cardiff in October 2023, lining up against a midfield containing Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic.

“It was a breakthrough game for me,” James said. “It was a fantastic night for me personally and for my family.

“It put my name in a different bracket, how people perceived me. I still have Kovacic’s match shirt hanging up in my room.

“It raised my profile. To compete against the best at such a young age was a proud moment and hopefully there are many more to come.”

Injured

Wales travel to Portugal without a number of players who would normally be expected to feature.

Harry Wilson, Karl Darlow, Joe Rodon and Dylan Lawlor are unavailable, while Wrexham striker Nathan Broadhead and Cardiff City pair Rubin Colwill and Isaak Davies are also injured.

Wilson is a particularly significant absence after becoming a key figure during Bellamy’s two years in charge.

Bellamy added Charlie Savage, David Cornell and Joe Taylor to his squad on Monday.

James said the absences would give others the opportunity to make their mark.

“Players like Joe have played so many games for Wales and understand what it takes on these massive occasions. It’s a big miss.

“But we have players who can step in without hesitation. It provides an opportunity for others to show what they can do on the big stage.

“You can’t write us off. We have a puncher’s chance and we’re going there to cause an upset.

“We’re used to being the underdogs and hopefully we can use that to our advantage. Playing Portugal is where we want to be, and we will relish it.”

Wales travel to Denmark on Sunday following their opening game in Lisbon before returning to Cardiff for matches against Norway and Denmark during the extended international break.

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