World Cup 2022 qualifying: Chris Coleman backs Wales ‘bravery’ against Belgium

Chris Coleman says Wales can win Wednesday’s opening World Cup qualifier away to favourites Belgium if they match talent to application and belief.

But Coleman warned that Wales must play to their full capacity in Leuven.

“If any of the lads are thinking they can go to Belgium and play 90% or even 95% and nick a win, then it’s not going to happen,” Coleman said.

“So they’ve got to go 100%, they’ve got to believe 100%, put themselves on the line and not be afraid to get it wrong.

“Sometimes we do that and play within ourselves – not just Wales, all athletes do that – but if we can just be brave, we’re good enough to go and get a result.

“I know they’re the best team in the world, they’re ranked number one, but we’ve done it before and we can do it again.

“There are going to be moments when it’s going to get really hard, it’ll be really tough and those are the moments you just hang on like your life depended on it and you wait for a little opportunity.

“We will get one of those opportunities and… when you play one of these top international teams you’ve got to get used to large parts of the game where you’re being dictated to in terms of possession, because the opposition are just that good.

“You’ve got to sit in and bide your time… and that’s what we’ve got to get used to now.”

Wales are unbeaten in their last four meetings with Belgium, a run which dates back to October 2013 when they held a World Cup-bound Belgium 1-1 in Brussels.

They also drew 0-0 in Brussels in November 2014 before Gareth Bale settled a Euro 2016 qualifier in Cardiff the following June.

Wales’ greatest triumph over Belgium came in their last encounter, a 3-1 Euro 2016 quarter-final victory in Lille, France.

Coleman says that experience among the senior players in the squad will serve Wales well, not just against Belgium but in the whole qualifying campaign.

“The lads who have faced that before and been in that line of fire have got used – not comfortable – to going in all guns blazing when the bullets are flying around you when the game is so fast,” he said.

“The guys who have handled that before are used to it. At that level… if you’re a yard out of position at a vital moment then it’s all over.

“We’ve got to concentrate on ourselves and recognise where our strengths are, and have so much belief going into it.”

After Wednesday’s game with Belgium in Leuven, Wales host Mexico in a friendly at Cardiff City Stadium, then face the Czech Republic at the same venue in another World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, 30 March.

Belarus and Estonia are the other two sides standing between Wales and a place in the finals in Qatar.

Coleman says as important as their World Cup qualifying campaign is, it is also a vital dress rehearsal for this summer’s delayed Euro 2020 finals.

Wales play their first two group games in Azerbaijan’s capital city of Baku, opening their campaign against Switzerland on Saturday, 12 June and then facing Turkey four days later.

Their final group game is in Rome against Italy on 20 June.

“To do well in this tournament against the likes of Italy, Switzerland, this is a step up,” he said.

“We’re good enough to handle it, we’ve just got to make sure we’re focused – the mental side – because just the technique and the physical side is not enough.

“Those top international teams, if you’re not focused in on every second of that game you’ll get picked off and it’s happened to us before.

“If we’re right on it… anticipating rather than reacting then we’ve got a good chance.”