Amp: Ell of a split on Wales

ETHAN AMPADU says Wales’ crunch Euro 2024 play-off decider with Finland has divided the Leeds dressing room.

The Elland Road captain (above) is one of four from the club in the squad for Thursday’s semi-final in Cardiff, along with Joe Rodon, Daniel James and Connor Roberts.

And he revealed that the rest of his United team-mates are hoping Wales fall short of reaching the summer finals – purely so Finnish international Glen Kamara (circle) comes out on top.

“It’s four-versus-one, but I think a lot of the squad are for Finland because it was four-versus-one,” Ampadu said.

“They’re not ganging up on us, it’s good, healthy banter. But hopefully us four can go back with a bit of bragging rights rather than Glen doing so.”

Ampadu will become Wales’ youngest player to reach 50 caps when he faces Finland, but insists he would forgo individual honours for a place in Germany. The 23-year-old is set to eclipse Gareth Bale’s record.

But records mean little to the former Chelsea starlet, who insists his focus is solely on making Euro 2024.

“It’s not something that I look at on a daily basis. I still hope I’ve got a long way to go in the game and can achieve a lot more,” Ampadu said.

“If I didn’t reach 50, but we got to the Euros, that’s massive. I would enjoy that feeling more, and as a squad and as fans, we all deserve that.”

Play-offs are familiar territory for Wales, having taken that route to the 2022 World Cup, but they are now without play-off hero Bale.

“We’ve got some new faces, but it’s about passing on how special the feeling was to qualify,” Ampadu said.