The 5 Most Capped Wales Players
The footballers with the most international caps for Wales
A century of international caps was almost unheard of for Welsh international players until recent times.
However, multiple players have celebrated this accomplishment in the past couple of years.
This list discusses the most capped Wales players. These footballers have dedicated themselves to serve their country in an attempt to take the footballing nation to new heights.
5. Ashley Williams- 86 caps, 2 goals
A captain. A leader. A constant performer for his country. Ashley Williams will always be a cult hero to the Red Wall, making 86 appearances in various competitions across 11 years.
Williams is known for his all-important equaliser at the European Championships in 2016, during one of the most famous victories in the history of the competition, as Wales beat Belgium 3-1 to reach the semi-finals.
With over 350 appearances for Swansea City, it is safe to say that the Welshman’s career was full of highs and lows, facing two promotions and scoring a UEFA Europa League goal.
However, he suffered poor performances with Stoke City and Bristol City in his later years.
The central defender’s style at the back was not the prettiest at times, but for his important moments in a Wales shirt through the years, Williams deserves to be on the list of the country’s most-capped players.
4. Neville Southall- 92 caps
Voted as Everton’s all-time cult hero, Neville Southall will go down as one of the best players to grace the Wales squad.
He has been described as one of the ‘best goalkeepers of his generation.’
Neville Southall won 92 international caps between 1982 and 1998, although he never played in any major international competitions- a sinking feeling that many Wales fans know all too well (until recently anyway).
751 games of Southall’s 904 game-long club career were played during his time at Everton, which covers his time with Wales, before retiring with the record as the most-capped Wales player in the nation’s history.
As you can see from the list, this record would go on to be broken!
Southall is not just a legend on the pitch. The former goalkeeper is an avid supporter of various charitable causes.
He has even handed over his Twitter account to people from various organisations, as a way to give these important messages a platform and allow the public to ask questions.
This includes members of the LGBTQIA+ community, a drugs helpline, a suicide bereavement charity and a sex workers’ collective.
Safe to say, Southall is just as much of a legend off the pitch as on.
3. Wayne Hennessey- 106 caps
Wayne Hennessey, who has been Wales’ most prestigious goalkeeper since the retirement of Neville Southall, is the first player on this list with over a century of caps to their name, currently with 106.
The 35-year-old’s international career began in 2007, following a loan spell at Stockport County from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Since 2007, it has been a roller-coaster of a journey, with his biggest highs coming at the 2016 European Championships and qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Despite being born in Bangor, Wales, Hennessey climbed the academy ladder at Manchester City, but failed to make a senior appearance, before moving onto Wolves.
Here, the shot-stopper would go on to play on 166 occasions.
The Welshman would then move onto his second-longest spell at club level, making 132 appearances for Crystal Palace.
Even admitting it himself, Hennessey’s best performance in a Wales shirt came in the nation’s famous victory over Ukraine to qualify for the World Cup.
During this match, Rob Page described Hennessey as “world class”.
In an outstanding display, the ‘keeper made nine saves, keeping a clean sheet in the 1-0 victory over the side ranked 27th in the world.
“He was magnificent, world class,” Page said following the historic win. “I thought he went on another level.”
2. Gareth Bale- 108 caps, 40 goals
Gareth Bale is a world-class footballer, and he is also a symbol of Welsh football ever since his debut in 2006.
He came on as a substitute in a 2-1 victory over Trinidad & Tobago, assisting Robert Earnshaw’s winner.
With 552 club appearances through spells at Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid and Los Angeles- and 108 international caps- at the age of 33, Bale has established himself as one of the greatest players of his generation.
“Gareth Bale will be the best player in Europe by the time he is 23”- a claim made by former Wales coach and manager Brian Flynn, when Bale was just 16 years old.
With 184 senior club goals, and the most goals in Wales’ history with 40, it is safe to say that Flynn was rather accurate with his prediction all those years ago.
The closest goalscorer to Bale is Ian Rush MBE, with 28 goals. Of those 40 goals, many of them have been memorable for many different reasons.
From writing his name into the history books with Wales to THE overhead bicycle kick against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League final, to an incredible solo goal against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final in 2014; Bale has done it all.
1. Chris Gunter- 109 caps
At 33 years old, Rob Page now chooses Chris Gunter in the Wales squad for his vast experience and leadership in the dressing room.
He has not started a game for his country since a 2-1 loss to Poland in June 2022.
Despite this, Gunter sits top of the pile as the most capped player in Wales’ history, beating Bale by just one, with 109.
The Newport-born defender was initially given his debut in 2007 by John Toshack, at just 17 years old.
Since then, Gunter has gone on to make history and has been recognised as a one of the greatest to play for Wales- not because of his quality but his loyalty, ability to adapt and willingness to put his body on the line.
Gunter spent the majority of his career at Reading, making 314 appearances, before another long spell after moving to Nottingham Forest.
The central defender now plies his trade in League Two with AFC Wimbledon, but he is still one of the first picks for Page’s squad list, even if not in the Starting XI.
Due to this, and the 2022 Qatar World Cup only a few weeks away, Bale may be at the top of this list by the end of December.
But for now, Gunter is currently the most capped player for Wales in history, but he doesn’t quite make our list of the greatest Welsh players ever.
