Craig

The pursuit of perfection can consume some sportspeople. Logically, they know the goal itself is unattainable, but the endeavour to get there can take them to new heights.

Craig Bellamy is one such person. He doubts whether anyone or anything can be perfect but, on Tuesday night, he saw his Wales team come close as they dismantled North Macedonia 7-1.

The result was one thing, the victory Wales needed to finish second in their World Cup qualifying group and secure home advantage for their play-off semi-final in March.

The performance was another matter altogether, a dizzying mix of expressive, ultra-attacking football played at a rapid pace, combined with a raw physical intensity off the ball which overwhelmed their opponents.

North Macedonia had only conceded three goals in seven qualifiers before coming to Cardiff City Stadium. They doubled that total in the space of 19 first-half minutes, before leaving the Welsh capital humiliated.

“I am not a perfect person, I haven’t come across anyone who is,” said Bellamy .

“But maybe I take a little bit of that back because that was as close to the perfect performance as I have seen. That was incredible.

“The way we were able to use the ball, our timing. We didn’t play with a forward, we had three [number] 10s. But they were in the position where you drag someone out and someone runs, then the wide players were connected with it as well.

“We were just so clean with the ball and that allows you to have good chances. It was one of those days where we are able to take them as well.”

Craig Bellamy laughs when asked about Rubin Colwill, the 23-year-old forward currently impressing for Cardiff City.

“He’s big for you, isn’t he?,” Bellamy asks the reporter who brings up his name.

Not that Bellamy is not a fan of the nine-cap midfielder, to the contrary.

However, Colwill has not always featured in Bellamy’s Wales squads despite playing a starring role in Cardiff’s League One promotion bid and their quarter-final EFL Cup run.

“Rubin is able, there’s still one or two bits that we need more from, but he’s capable,” insists Bellamy who has plenty of other reasons to be a regular at Cardiff City Stadium.

“For the first time in a long, long time, I’ve really enjoyed coming away from Cardiff games with a smile,” he added.

“Last year was difficult, the atmosphere was down, but now I get to see a number of Welsh young players playing in a way I like.

“I only see them improving and selfishly I just see that this is going to benefit the country, so I’m over the moon with that.”