Harry Wilson: No-one can replace Gareth Bale but Wales star comes close

Harry Wilson scored a hat-trick as he captained Wales to a 7-1 thrashing of North Macedonia in November One player cannot replace Gareth Bale – Wales' greatest is simply irreplaceable – but Harry Wilson is giving the impossible job a pretty good go. It is difficult to overstate the void Bale left. More international goals and appearances than any other Welshman, and the stats only hint at the transformational effect the former Real Madrid forward had on his country. Coping without Bale has had to be a collective effort. Wilson, however, has stepped up more than most. Since Bale retired in 2023, Wilson has scored more goals than any of his countrymen. In fact, 12 of his 17 career international goals have come during that time. Many have been spectacular, adding to a showreel of long-range strikes to rival Bale's back catalogue. Most have come with Wilson's left foot too, a source of magic akin to the one Bale possessed. There is even a slight suggestion of a physical resemblance. Well, maybe that's pushing the comparison, but Wilson's flowing locks now require an Alice band like Bale's. A nod to the hair apparent? Where Wales used to rely on Bale in their most important moments, now