A missed penalty in a World Cup play-off shootout. That kind of moment doesn’t fade quietly. For Neco Williams, the 25-year-old Nottingham Forest defender and 55-cap Wales international, the wound from that night against Bosnia-Herzegovina is still raw — and he’s not pretending otherwise. Wales lost their shot at the 2026 World Cup in America, and ahead of Tuesday’s friendly against Ghana at Cardiff City Stadium, Williams chose honesty over diplomacy.
The Bosnia defeat and the weight of a missed penalty
Wales were four minutes from booking their place at the tournament. Dan James had scored a stunning opener, and the Dragons looked in control — until Edin Dzeko equalised with time running out. What followed in the shootout was brutal. Crystal Palace’s Brennan Johnson missed first, and then Williams stepped up. His attempt was saved. Wales were out.
“I’m still gutted and I’m sure most of the lads are,” Williams told BBC Sport Wales. “It’s not every day you get the opportunity to go to the World Cup and we fell short on the night.” That’s not a man giving a rehearsed press conference line — that’s someone who genuinely believed Wales had the squad to go deep in America.
What makes this defeat particularly cutting is the context. Wales had finished runners-up to Belgium in their qualifying group, setting up what seemed like a manageable play-off path. Bosnia at home, then potentially Italy in Cardiff for a winner-takes-all decider. The squad believed. The momentum was there. And then it wasn’t.
Williams described the immediate aftermath with striking candour : “When something like that happens, you don’t want to speak to anyone or be seen.” Dan James — who had endured his own penalty nightmare during the Euro 2024 qualification campaign two years earlier — was the first to offer support. That moment, Williams said, illustrated exactly the kind of tight-knit environment Craig Bellamy has built. “The group we have make you forget about it very quickly,” he added. “The best players in the world miss penalties — you just have to dust yourself down and move on.”
Ghana, a World Cup mirror and the road to Euro 2028
Tuesday’s friendly carries a particular edge. Ghana will feature in the same World Cup group as England this summer in the United States — the very tournament Wales just missed. Facing them in Cardiff is a blunt reminder of what’s not happening. Williams acknowledged it directly : “We know what the fans are feeling because we are feeling exactly the same.”
| Match | Date | Kick-off | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wales v Ghana | Tuesday, 2 June 2026 | 19 :45 BST | Cardiff City Stadium |
| Wales v Romania | Later this week | TBC | TBC |
Yet Williams frames these June friendlies not as consolation prizes, but as the opening moves of a new cycle. The next genuine target is Euro 2028, which Wales co-host alongside England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland. Games at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, a home crowd, that electric atmosphere — Williams says picturing it is enough motivation to push through the disappointment. “Two years will fly,” he said, “and picturing walking out at the stadium is unbelievable.”
Between now and then, the Nations League looms large. Wales face Portugal, Denmark and Norway in the autumn — a formidable test by any standard — which will quickly reveal how far Bellamy’s methods have taken root. Williams is clear that the manager, who has attracted interest from Burnley recently, is the right person to drive this squad forward. “Since he’s come in, he’s changed so much within the team. But it hasn’t been very long, so the more time we have, the better we’re going to be.”
The pathway to 2028 looks something like this :
- Rebuild confidence through the June international window (Ghana and Romania)
- Test quality in the Nations League against Portugal, Denmark and Norway
- Launch Euro 2028 qualification with a settled squad and clear identity
- Target home group-stage games at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff
Williams at Forest — and what comes next for the defender
Neco Williams joined Nottingham Forest from Liverpool in July 2022 for £12 million. Since then, he has made over 150 appearances for the club — a figure that speaks to reliability in what has been anything but a stable environment. Forest cycled through four managers in a single season, yet Williams remained one of their constants, earning the club’s player of the year award.
The season itself ended on a sour note. Forest fought off relegation and reached the Europa League semi-finals before falling to Aston Villa — a defeat that still stings given how close they came. Everton, Manchester United, Newcastle and Villa are all said to have admired Williams, though he still has three years remaining on his City Ground contract and talks over a new deal are reportedly underway.
His response to transfer speculation ? Refreshingly grounded. “I’ve got representatives to sort that kind of stuff out but I’m just enjoying my football,” he said. Focus on Ghana, focus on Romania, enjoy a break — that’s his stated priority right now. Whether Forest can hold onto a player of his consistency and ambition is a question that will sharpen considerably over the summer.
For Wales fans still hurting from the Bosnia night, Williams’ message is one worth sitting with : the fans have got to stick with us, believe in us as players and the manager — and the good times will come. With a home European Championship on the horizon and a squad that clearly believes in itself despite everything, that’s not wishful thinking. It’s a plan.
