The Football Association of Wales (FAW) announced on Tuesday that Craig Bellamy has been appointed coach of the Wales men’s national team through 2028.
After serving as Vincent Kompany’s assistant at Burnley for the previous two seasons, Bellamy has now joined Wales following Kompany’s shocking transfer to Bayern Munich, which was completed in May.
Regarding his appointment, Bellamy stated, “It’s the proudest moment of my career and an amazing honor to be given the chance to serve my country. Being the head coach of Cymru has always been my greatest ambition, and I’m up for the challenge.
“I am committed to helping this club succeed, and I have a strong desire to see Welsh football continue to flourish. When our Nations League games begin in September, I can’t wait.”
On September 6, Bellamy’s first official match as manager will take place in Cardiff during the UEFA Nations League against Turkey.
Chief football officer of FAW Dr. David Adams stated: “I am overjoyed to name Craig as our new head coach. Craig was the clear winner of our extensive hiring process for the position of head coach of the men’s national team.
“We are all looking forward to the Nations League games and working with Craig to deliver success for Welsh Football.”
During his playing career, Bellamy made 78 appearances for Wales and netted 19 goals between 1998 and 2014.
He had successful tenures with Newcastle United, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Blackburn Rovers among other clubs.