Nottingham Forest defender Neco Williams will be desperate to help Wales return to another World Cup in 2026.
The 2022 edition was disastrous for Wales as they finished rock bottom of a group that also included England.
This team is learning all the time though and under the influence of Craig Bellamy, there is real hope that the nation can qualify again for the next tournament.
Williams has been brilliant for Forest this season and is quietly going about his business in the left-back role he so often adopts on the international stage.
Last week, Williams was praised for his Wales showing as Kazakhstan were put to the sword with the Forest defender keeping his place for the game against North Macedonia last night.
Welsh media deliver verdict on performance of Neco Williams vs North Macedonia
It’s quite a turnaround for Williams for Forest, given that he’s not really been considered the first choice during his first two years at the club.
Both Steve Cooper and Nuno Espirito Santo have made him sit on the bench at various points but now he’s very much part of the furniture at the City Ground.
Last night he was in good form once again but for Wales it proved a frustrating night with both teams scoring in injury time.
Clwb Pel-Droed gave him a 7/10 and said: “Quickly becoming one of the most talented players in a red shirt he always looks so impressive with the ball at his feet and driving towards opposition defences. He also did his job defensively and will be disappointed with losing the clean sheet.”
Wales Online were equally impressed, scoring him a 7/10 and saying: “No player made more tackles on the night. Another good performance.”
Neco Williams stats vs North Macedonia
The one thing that the 23-year-old has seriously improved is his tackling, and this was the second game in a row in which he made the most tackles.
Williams is developing into a fantastic footballer and the £17 million that Forest paid Liverpool for him is starting to look like a steal.
| Neco Williams stats vs North Macedonia | Total |
| Minutes | 90 |
| Tackles | 6 |
| Clearances | 5 |
| Pass Accuracy | 89.1% |
The challenge for the defender is to keep improving and make some minor tweaks to his game to allow him to become even more competent in the future.
Williams is clearly enjoying his football at the moment and he’s another player who Forest will hope to count on in the business stage of the season.
Receive a digest of our best Nottingham Forest content each week direct to your mailbox
