‘Playing for Wales in Qatar is a dream’

PLAYING at a World Cup finals with Wales will exceed Nottingham Forest defender Neco Williams’ wildest dreams.

Williams is only 21 but has already secured Premier League and Championship title-winning medals and also played for Wales at Euro 2020.

Now Wrexham-born Williams will have a World Cup appearance to add to his achievements.

“As a kid I dreamt of playing for Wales and being a professional footballer,” Williams told BBC Sport Wales.

“Going to the World Cup is just the cherry on the top. All this coming together now is even more than what I dreamt of.

“Sixty-four years we’ve been waiting for this - a very long time - and I’m part of the squad going to the World Cup. It’s a surreal feeling.

“It will be special for me, my family and my friends.”

Family, friends and his home village of Cefn Mawr, just outside Wrexham, mean everything to Williams.

Days after being part of the Liverpool squad which won the Fifa World Club Cup in 2019, Williams was given a hero’s welcome at Cefn Mawr community social club.

Three years earlier, a 15-yearold Williams watched Wales at Euro 2016 with dad Lee at their local.

“When different clubs play, your dad’s mates support different teams and you’re having banter,” Williams added.

Dean Saunders predicts that England will “self-implode” at the World Cup due to the pressure on their shoulders.

Gareth Southgate’s side go into the tournament as firm favourites to top Group B, which also contains Wales, Iran and the United States of America. Indeed, the Three Lions are listed alongside the likes of Brazil and France as contenders to lift the trophy in Qatar.

However, former Wales striker Saunders believes the pressure on England could take its toll.

“I can say what I like about England can’t I?” he said on talkSPORT. “I think it’s like, selfimplode again. They just beat themselves before they get there. Pressure, ‘who’s playing this, who’s playing there?’ Southgate, not won for six games, I can feel the pressure already mounting on England!”

Wales face England in their third and final group game of the tournament, with Rob Page’s side facing the USA on Monday, November 21, before taking on Iran four days later.

The tournament kicks off this Sunday when hosts Qatar take on Ecuador.