Harry Wilson eyes more history against Belgium 12 years on from Wales debut
Harry Wilson has targeted another slice of history against Belgium 12 years on from becoming Wales' youngest-ever player in Brussels.
Wales face a World Cup qualifying double-header this week with Friday's home game against Liechtenstein preceding their daunting Group J trip to Belgium three days later.
The Dragons have not won in eight previous visits to Belgium – losing five and drawing three – in a fixture stretching all the way back to 1949.
'The Liechtenstein game is first and international football has shown many times over the years that there are no easy games,' said Wilson, who finished the season in fine form at Fulham after recovering from a fractured foot and a 10-week lay-off.
'Although on paper people will think we should win that game comfortably, we still have to go out there and perform.
'For us to look ahead to Belgium before getting that game done would be silly, but going into this camp six points is definitely the aim.'
Wilson beat Gareth Bale's record to become Wales' youngest-ever player at the age of 16 years and 207 days against Belgium in October 2013.
'It was by far the biggest stadium I'd ever played in,' said Wilson, who will win his 61st cap against Liechtenstein in Cardiff.
'That struck me immediately walking out before the game.'
'(Eden) Hazard and (Kevin) De Bruyne were playing for them and for a young lad to be sitting there thinking 'I could be sharing the pitch with them' was amazing.
'When (Wales manager Chris) Coleman turned round and gave me the nod that I was going on it was a mixture of nerves and excitement.
'I can't really remember too much about being on the pitch, but I came on at 1-0 down and we drew 1-1, so I'll take a little bit of credit for that.'
Wales famously beat Belgium 3-1 in the quarter-finals at Euro 2016 and the two countries have been regular opponents over the last decade or so.
So much so that De Bruyne once labelled playing Wales 'boring', claiming: 'I think half of my international career has been against Wales.'
Recent contests have been close affairs with both nations recording two wins each and sharing four draws since Wilson's debut game.
'We have shown over the years that we are a good team,' said Wilson, who scored against Belgium during a World Cup qualifier in 2021.
'But to have a record as good as that against a nation who have had a golden era over the last 10 to 15 years is an amazing feat.'
Wales resume their World Cup qualifying campaign having picked up four points in March from a 3-1 home victory over Kazakhstan and a 1-1 draw in North Macedonia.
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Michelle Pace of Chatham House says it has become hard to protect refugees in Denmark, where "the legal goalposts keep moving."Danish citizens with a migrant background have also been made to feel like outsiders, she cites the Social Democrats' "parallel societies" law, which allows the state to sell off or demolish apartment blocks in troubled areas where at least half of residents have a "non-Western" Social Democrats say the law is aimed at improving integration but Ms Pace insists it is alienating. The children of immigrants are told they aren't Danish or a "pure Dane," she February this year, a senior advisor to the EU's top court described the non-Western provision of the Danish law as discriminatory on the basis of ethnic origin. Whereas once a number of European leaders dismissed Denmark's Social Democrats as becoming far right, now "the Danish position has become the new normal - it was the head of the curve," says Alberto Horst Neidhardt."What's considered 'good' migration policies these days has moved to the right, even for centre left governments, like the UK."Before Germany's general election this year, then centre-left Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, pledged to tighten asylum regulations, including reducing family earlier this month, Frederiksen teamed up with eight other European leaders - not including the UK - to call for a reinterpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights, whose tight constraints, they claim, prevent them from expelling foreign nationals with criminal international laws on asylum is a trend Denmark is establishing at a more European level, says Sarah Wolff, Professor of International Studies and Global Politics at Leiden University."With the topic of migration now politicised, you increasingly see supposedly liberal countries that are signatories to international conventions, like human rights law, coming back on those conventions because the legislation no longer fits the political agenda of the moment," says Ms the restrictive migrant legislation, Denmark has continued to admit migrant workers through legal channels. 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The aim is to balance plugging labour market gaps with avoiding strains on public services, by using extra tax revenue from new migrant workers, to build housing and extra classrooms, for now the plan is aspirational. It's too early to judge, if successful, or not. So, who's got it right? "Successful" migration policy depends on what governments, regardless of their political stripe, set as their priority, says Ms Denmark, the first priority is preserving the Danish social system. Italy prioritises offshoring the processing of migrants. While Hungary's prime minister Victor Orban wants strict migrant limits to protect Europe's "Christian roots", he visas is thought to be the most common way migrants enter and stay in Europe without legal recent UK governments have focused on high profile issues like people smugglers' boats crossing the Dennison thinks that's a tactical move. It's taking aim at visible challenges, to "neutralise public anger" she says, in the hope most voters will then support offering asylum to those who need it, and allow some foreign workers into the UK. It would be hard for Starmer to pursue the Denmark approach, she adds. After taking over from previous Conservative governments, he made a point of recommitting the UK to international institutions and international does the 'ideal' migration plan exist, that balances voter concerns, economic needs and humanitarian values?Martin Ruhs, deputy director of the Migration Policy Centre, spends a lot of time asking this question to voters across the UK and the rest of Europe, and thinks the public is often more sophisticated than their politicians. Most prefer a balance, he says: migration limits to protect themselves and their families, but once they feel that's in place, they also favour fair legislation to protect refugees and foreign workers. Top picture credit: SOPA Images via Getty BBC InDepth is the home on the website and app for the best analysis, with fresh perspectives that challenge assumptions and deep reporting on the biggest issues of the day. And we showcase thought-provoking content from across BBC Sounds and iPlayer too. You can send us your feedback on the InDepth section by clicking on the button below.
