Wales Football World Cup: Daniel James heads to Qatar moved by his late father

"Be yourself, play with a beam on your face, and don't let everything faze you". Those are the words Wales Football World Cup winger Daniel James proposes his late father would have said to him as he leaves for the World Cup. James lost his father Kevan in May 2019, just three weeks before his £15m transfer from Swansea City to Manchester United.

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Wales Football World Cup: Daniel James heads to Qatar moved by his late father

But he did get to see James play for Wales and score on his entrance against Slovakia two months previously. "It was an expressive one," James told BBC Sport Wales. "I was so eager that he got to see me playing for Wales. He didn't get to see me in Euros and he won't get to see me in the World Cup, but I'm unquestionable he will be looking down and be very proud. "Yorkshire-born James now plays his club football at Fulham and scored against former club United at the break.

Wales Football World Cup

He said he owes his expert career to his dad, who got him complicated in a Wales camp when he was 12."He was only able to do that because he sent the person to say that he was Welsh and that I qualified to play for Wales, then I would not have been in the set-up," James clarified. It was as a result of James Wales’s participation that he was picked up by Swansea City's school, making the move from Hull City when aged 16 in 2014.

"He was the one that let me go depressed to Swansea to play for them," he added. “It was firm for my mum and my dad to let me go since they wouldn't see me as much, but I wouldn't be here nowadays without that. "Wales kick off their first Football World Cup movement in 64 years against the United States on Monday, 21 November, with James - who has been an even under Robert Page - forestalling a "goose-bump instant".

"Every time I sing the national anthem it's very expressive, but after you have got to come back down to earth because you have got a willingness to play," he added. "The Wales fans will be out there. That is massive for us since they weren't at the last Euros unsuitably. I am just glad that they can come and provision us."

Wales Football World Cup name wound doubt, Joe Allen, in a 26-man squad

Robert Page has named his 26-man squad for Wales' first World Cup in 64 years, with midfielder Joe Allen comprised notwithstanding being a major injury doubt. Gareth Bale skippers have a squad that has no surprising inclusions or oversights. Rhys Norrington-Davies is out with a hamstring injury so Tom Lockyer is remembered more than a year since he last played for Wales, while a calf wound rules out forward Tyler Roberts. To know more about USA Vs Wales Tickets click here.

Wales faces the United States in their inaugural Qatar Football World Cup match on 21 November. They are combined in Group B by Iran and England, who name their squad on Thursday.

Wales Football World Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey (Nottingham Forest), Danny Ward (Leicester City), Adam Davies (Sheffield United).

Defenders: Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest), Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Ben Cabango (Swansea City), Joe Rodon (Rennes, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Chris Mepham (Bournemouth), Ethan Ampadu (Spezia, on loan from Chelsea), Chris Gunter (AFC Wimbledon), Connor Roberts (Burnley), Tom Lockyer (Luton Town).

Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey (Nottingham Forest),

Midfielders: Aaron Ramsey (Nice), Joe Allen (Swansea City), Harry Wilson (Fulham), Joe Morrell (Portsmouth), Dylan Levitt (Dundee United), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City), Jonny Williams (Swindon Town), Matthew Smith (Milton Keynes Dons), Sorba Thomas (Huddersfield Town).

Forwards: Gareth Bale (Los Angeles FC), Dan James (Fulham, on loan from Leeds United), Kieffer Moore (Bournemouth), Mark Harris (Cardiff City), Brennan Johnson (Nottingham Forest).

Page had before indicated he had already obvious on the majority of the 26 players he would be taking to Qatar World Cup, and that was evident at Wednesday's statement in his hometown of Tylorstown in the Rhondda valley as he stuck to a tried and right-hand team. His biggest injury concern is influential midfielder Allen, who is named in the squad despite not playing for Swansea City since hurting his constrain in September.

Swans head coach Russell Martin has long-established Allen will not play for the Championship side

Before the World Cup, Wales still hopes the 32-year-old will be able to play a certain part in Qatar, even if he is not fit sufficiently to start against the United States. "It's not ideal if I'm honest but we're giving him every chance to get him fit to get into the starting XI for the first willing," said Page.

"There's a couple of other players in a similar boat but Joe's been so significant to me overall the last twosome of years, how I want to play and how he sits in front of the back four.

"He's one of those from 2016 [European Championship] when they had the achievement and when he was playing well, Wales were winning sports.

"Again he's made the right to be there. I spoke to him two days ago and in optimistic.

There is better news concerning captain Bale, who has at least been playing for his club side, Los Angeles FC. However, the 33-year-old said he was "not 100%" fit after scoring a vital late goal in LAFC's MLS Cup final victory over Philadelphia Union last weekend.

The former Real Madrid player has made just two starts - plus 11 supernumerary appearances - for LAFC

Since connecting with the American club in June. Bale has been integral to Wales' recent success - they have qualified for three of the past four major contests having touched only one before that - and will be their stone once more at the Football World Cup. "Rather would we want him to play more minutes? Of sequence," said Page. To know more about Iran Vs Wales Tickets click here.

The former Real Madrid player has made just two starts – plus 11 supernumerary appearances – for LAFC

"Am I worried? No, because he's shown time and time again that regardless of how many minutes he's played at club level he always comes in and has significant instants in the game, whether it's a free-kick against Austria or Ukraine [in the Football World Cup play-off semi-final and final].

"Big players step up for big times. We've said it with Aaron [Ramsey] in the past - Hungary at home when he got two goals for us - and it's no dissimilar with Gareth.

"Opposing managers will look at the team sheet and if they see his name they know at any instant he can win a game for you."

Qatar Football World Cup

Along with Bale and Allen, Wales Football World Cup goalkeepers Wayne Hennessey and Danny Ward, protectors Ben Davies and Chris Gunter, and midfielders Ramsey and Jonny Williams are the players who will be on behalf of Wales in a third major competition, having played at the past two European Finals. Nottingham Forest forwards Brennan Johnson, Cardiff City attacker Mark Harris and Huddersfield Town winger Sorba Thomas will be going to their first major competition.

"The worst part of this job is unsatisfactory the ones that are not in the 26," said Page.

"The others I've not called to tell them they're in, I'd rather them see it when [it is announced].

"That's going to be nice for them to see but on the other side of it, there's always going to be someone who's dissatisfied.

"I've had a couple of uncomfortable chats - some through injury, some through choice.

"We've got to move forward now and pick the squad that will go and contests and go and wins us games."

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