Craig Bellamy backs Aaron Ramsey to become Wales manager after coaching start

Craig Bellamy has backed Aaron Ramsey to one day take charge of Wales, saying he is confident the recently retired midfielder will eventually succeed him as national team manager.

“I’m pretty sure of it and I’m pretty sure one day you’ll be speaking to him here,” Bellamy said. “I just believe he’s going to be that talented and I believe he’s going to be a big asset to whoever he’s with and I’d like to see that with Wales one day. I don’t know when, could be two years, four years, 40 years, but I believe we might see that one day.”

Ramsey, 35, confirmed his retirement from professional football earlier this year following a brief spell with Mexican club Pumas UNAM. He has wasted little time in preparing for a career in management, enrolling on a UEFA Pro Licence course and taking his first steps in the dugout by overseeing Cardiff City’s final three matches of the 2024/25 season.

The former Arsenal midfielder has spoken openly about his managerial ambitions, citing current Gunners boss Mikel Arteta — a former teammate — as a direct source of inspiration. “It is inspiring because Mikel was here studying around 10 years ago, in the same position starting his journey,” Ramsey said. “That’s inspiring for us, to see him 10 years later, lifting the Premier League and in the Champions League final. I want to win all the big things in the game. That’s the goal, that’s the target.”

Ramsey also made clear that an early retirement from the touchline is not something he envisions. “It’s not in my DNA to just put my feet up,” he said. “I feel ready to coach, to manage, to be inspiring to a group of players, and we’ll see what comes up.”

Ramsey began his career at Cardiff before joining Arsenal in 2008, going on to make 369 appearances for the club. He subsequently played for Juventus, Nice, and Rangers before returning to Cardiff, where his playing days came to a close.