Craig Bellamy hopes the World Cup qualifier between North Macedonia and Wales provides some comfort for the bereaved after the devastating nightclub fire that claimed 59 lives in the Balkan state.
North Macedonia will be playing their first home fixture on Tuesday since the tragedy in Kocani – 101 kilometres south-east of the capital Skopje – left another 155 injured from burns, smoke inhalation and being trampled amid a bid to escape towards the building’s single exit.
The Football Federation of Macedonia (FFM) has lined up various way to pay respect to those that lost their lives on March 16, including both teams wearing black armbands.
A seven-day national mourning period ended on Sunday and Wales could be walking into a charged atmosphere at the Tose Proeski Arena.
“We haven’t spoke about it but the players are aware of it,” Bellamy said at his pre-match press conference in Skopje.
“I’d like to send my condolences to the families and also the people of North Macedonia.
“It’s difficult to talk about football when moments like this happens, but we’re here for it and I completely respect the situation.
“We’ve had our own tragedies and we know as a country what they’re going through. I’d like them to know that everyone in Wales is fully behind them.
“I hope for just 90 minutes that we and North Macedonia are able, maybe just a tiny bit, to take one or two minds off what’s happened.
“Only for a tiny bit. I want that because life is the most important. We just get to play football.”
Cardiff to Skopje! 🛩️ pic.twitter.com/yWBCbwohNN
— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) March 24, 2025
Both sides opened their Group J qualifying campaigns on Saturday with victory.
North Macedonia claimed a sixth-successive win with a 3-0 comfortable success in Liechtenstein, while Wales were made to work harder in their 3-1 defeat of Kazakhstan in Cardiff.
“North Macedonia is a different game to Kazakhstan,” said Bellamy. “We knew that beforehand so it hasn’t changed anything to what we’re looking to do.
“We’ve had to review the game quickly and there were some really positive bits.
“There were some things we need to improve on, but overall I’m very happy and it’s another game that allows us to progress.”
Asked by a Macedonia journalist whether Wales were actually underdogs – despite their FIFA ranking of 29 compared to the hosts’ 67 – Bellamy said: “I never see us an underdog. I’m not an underdog, I never have been. I will not accept that.
“Favourites? I hope so. It doesn’t mean you take it for granted.
“I always look at it as a game of football. Can we have fun? Can we enjoy it?”
Bellamy and captain Ben Davies played in Skopje in 2013 when Wales were beaten 2-1 by North Macedonia in a World Cup qualifier.
MD-1 preparation 👊 pic.twitter.com/Y6Lo4ZLc0m
— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) March 24, 2025
“I remember that game well, it was a tough night for us,” said Davies.
“Sometimes that happens but I feel we’re in a different spot as a group right now.
“I’ve also been back here with Spurs. I’ve played here a couple of times before and it’s a good place to play football.”
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