
It is a massive night of international football and Harry Wilson will be shouldering responsibility for Wales as they take on Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff. Should they win that match they will then face Italy or Northern Ireland for a spot at the 2026 World Cup.
They say there is no I in team but when it comes to Wales football, there has always been a player who is heads above the rest.
From John Charles to Ian Rush, Ryan Giggs to Gareth Bale, Wales have seemingly always had a team that is pushed onwards by an iconic individual.
Now that Bale has retired, Wales needed someone else to come in and take the reins and the responsibility to guide them to their next major tournament.
They didn’t need to wait long for him to appear.
Since the 2022 World Cup, when Bale retired, Wilson has scored 12 goals for Wales, including a formidable five goals in seven matches in 2025.
Quite simply, Fulham’s Wilson has become the heir apparent to Wales’ wizardry request and now he has one clear task ahead of him.
Wales are in the UEFA World Cup play-offs and face Bosnia and Herzegovina in a match that will have the entire nation on their feet.
And without Bale, who shouldered the responsibility to take Wales to their first World Cup in 64 years, and Aaron Ramsey who manager Craig Bellamy has left out - it is Wilson’s turn to do the same.
Speaking to BBC Sport Wales, Wilson is adamant he has not replaced Bale because as he puts it - you simply can’t replace a player of that quality.
He said: ”We can't replace Bale - he was our best ever player.
"He carried us through games, he got us to major tournaments and the performances he put in in those tournaments were incredible.
"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.
"I'm really happy with the way I've played and my numbers since Gaz left.
“But it definitely wasn't the case of me replacing him because no-one can do that.”
This season has been by some distance Wilson’s most prolific for both club and country.
He has now netted 10 goals and assisted six times in 29 matches for the Cottagers this season - taking them to the brink of their own European journey.
Add that to his first international hat-trick, scored against North Macedonia in a 7-1 romp in November, in a match which saw the winner advance to the play-offs and it is clear to see why people are talking about Wilson as much as they are.
Another experienced Wales campaigner Ethan Ampadu believes that Wilson has always had this level and that people have been slow to realise just how good he is.
The Leeds captain said: ”I'm not sure why it's taken others so long to realise it because he's always been at those levels and for us it's no surprise.
"Everyone has known his qualities, but this year it's been nice to see the wider audience speak about him more because we know what he can do with the magic of his left foot.”
Wales face Bosnia and Herzegovina live on BBC One on Thursday 26 March, where Wilson will hope to dazzle once more in Cardiff and send Wales to the UEFA play-off final.


