Davies: Missing Euro 2025 Fuels World Cup Play-Off Push — SkimNews
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- Mayzee Davies says missing Euro 2025 through injury has given her "extra motivation" for the World Cup play-offs, after an ACL tear on international duty in May 2025 ruled her out of Wales' first-ever major tournament for 13 months
- Wales face Albania in Shkoder on Friday 9 October in the first leg of their Women's World Cup qualifying play-off semi-final, with the return fixture in Llanelli four days later
- The winner will meet either Romania or Norway in the play-off final for a place at the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, a tournament Davies said would be "amazing" and "extra special" given her layoff
- Wales have lost key players Ceri Holland and Hayley Ladd to injury withdrawals ahead of the ties, yet head coach Rhian Wilkinson told her squad it is a "must-win game" and "we can't dwell on who's not here"
- Albania sit 37 places below Wales in the FIFA world rankings, and Davies insisted there can be "no excuses" for the gap in quality
- The 20-year-old Manchester City defender returned to action with Wales in June for qualifiers against Montenegro and Czech Republic, her first international minutes since the injury
Why it matters: Wales are chasing a first-ever Women's World Cup berth, and beating Albania — ranked 37 places below them — is the gatekeeper to a final against Romania or Norway for a Brazil 2027 spot. With Holland and Ladd sidelined, fringe and recently-returned players like Davies are being leaned on to bridge the gap.
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