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Wales head coach Craig Bellamy is looking forward to renewing his rivalry with Canada counterpart Jesse Marsch if he can lead his team to the World Cup.
If Wales win their play-off semi-final and final in March, they will be in Group B alongside co-hosts Canada, as well as Switzerland and Qatar at next summer's tournament in North America.
The opening fixture between Canada and Wales in Toronto will be a grudge match of sorts, after an ill-tempered finish to their friendly in September.
Bellamy was unhappy with the way former Leeds United boss Marsch and his coaches celebrated their 1-0 win before the final whistle in Swansea, while the Canadian players and their manager were exuberant in their celebrations afterwards.
Bellamy said after the game, "I hope I see you [Marsch and Canada] at the World Cup" and, following Friday's extravagant, long-winded draw in Washington DC, he could have his wish next June.
"I watched a little bit of the World Cup draw but not much. I think I got lost after the first 20 minutes and I think I came back to it about five hours later," the former Liverpool and Manchester City forward joked.
"I always have that on my mind. Just get there first. We've got to get there first but, if that is the case, then we [Marsch and Bellamy] will definitely have a nice conversation before that as well.
"I've got nothing against that guy, by the way, I think he's got something against the world. There's a part of me that really likes him from afar without really knowing him.
"But some of the things he says, you see his interviews before the other games after playing us... I think I find him very interesting."
Asked about the nature of the Canadian celebrations, Bellamy added: "All those wind me up, I've got to be honest, they all do. Be respectful.
"It's maybe more for TikTok or Instagram. I'm not a dinosaur, trust me. I'm not old-fashioned but there's a level of respect."
Marsch did his bit to stoke the fires of this unlikely feud during an interview in October.
"After we beat Wales, [Bellamy] made up some ridiculousness about how we were celebrating because he was trying to take away from the fact that they lost to Canada," the former United States international said.
"The point is, this is a different Canada. This is a talented Canada. This is a team that doesn't fear anyone."
Before that rematch becomes reality, Wales must successfully navigate the play-offs - as they did to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.
Bellamy's side host Bosnia-Herzegovina in their play-off semi-final on 26 March and, if victorious, will face Italy or Northern Ireland in Cardiff five days later with a World Cup spot on the line.
"You don't want to get too far ahead. You can't, so focus everything towards that," said Bellamy. "My whole psyche goes back to Bosnia. Bosnia is the most important. If we don't, it's done.
"I'll watch Northern Ireland games, watch Italy games as well. So it'll be mainly Bosnia but there will be a gameplan for Northern Ireland, there will be a gameplan for Italy as well because of the turnaround.
"The simple fact is, whether we win or lose, we're going to play the other one anyway [the losers of each play-off semi-final will play each other in a friendly].
"So it's part of the turnaround, to be able to work with the intensity we want to have, we have to be watching the other two teams as well."
English (US) ·