Gareth Bale remains Wales’ greatest and is, in many ways, irreplaceable. That said, Harry Wilson has done an impressive job of stepping into the spotlight and helping his country adapt since Bale’s retirement in 2023.
Bale left a huge legacy — the nation’s top goalscorer and appearance-maker — and a team that had often revolved around his moments of magic. Wilson has taken on more responsibility: 12 of his 17 international goals have arrived since Bale’s exit, several from long range and with a left foot that now produces the kind of highlight moments Wales desperately needed.
Wilson is quick to reject direct comparisons. ‘We can’t replace Bale,’ he said, insisting Bale was ‘our best ever player’ and that filling the void would be a collective task. Still, Wilson is happy with his own form and the numbers he has posted since Bale stepped away.
He has delivered big moments — notably a captain’s hat-trick in Wales’ 7-1 win over North Macedonia — and now faces high-stakes matches as Wales chase a 2026 World Cup place. A play-off semi-final with Bosnia-Herzegovina in Cardiff, and a potential final at home against Italy or Northern Ireland, means creative players like Wilson are expected to supply decisive contributions. In the 2022 play-offs Bale provided the finishing touches that sent Wales to the World Cup; Wilson now bears similar hopes and pressure.
Wilson’s route has differed from Bale’s meteoric rise. Both made their Wales debuts at 16, but Wilson struggled to break into Liverpool’s first team, experienced several loan spells and eventually established himself at Fulham. Even after helping Fulham reach the Premier League, he was often a substitute. This season he has become an everyday starter, recording 10 goals and six assists, and attracting attention as his contract nears its expiry this summer.
Pundits and team-mates have noticed the growth. Wayne Rooney praised his influence at Fulham, saying ‘everything good about Fulham comes through Harry Wilson.’ Wales head coach Craig Bellamy attributes the step up partly to maturity: players often click as they grow older, he said, and Wilson’s football intelligence, positioning and understanding have moved to another level. Ethan Ampadu added that Wilson’s left-footed magic is no surprise to those inside the squad, and it’s satisfying to see a wider audience appreciate it too.
Individually, Wilson has produced moments of real brilliance — an outside-of-the-boot strike against Crystal Palace earned a goal-of-the-month award — and the numbers back it up: he frequently scores more than his expected-goals figures suggest, routinely delivering goals he perhaps has no right to.
Former captain Barry Horne summed up his importance: Wilson is Wales’ current creative heartbeat, the man to look to from free-kicks and open play when something needs to happen. But team-mates stress the wider picture: success will depend on the collective effort of players, staff and fans, not one individual alone.
Wilson accepts the limitations of any comparison with Bale and says he never saw himself as a direct replacement. Still, he relishes the responsibility. As Wales push for another shot at the World Cup, Wilson looks set to be one of their principal creators and match-winners.
