Bellamy eyes more history against wounded Denmark

Bellamy's own recollection of matters is somewhat different, with some members of the squad perhaps disappointed Gould had been handed a shock lifeline.

"I got loads of stick for it after the game as well, from the players in the changing room, and they weren't too happy," added the Wales boss.

"For me it was one of the happiest moments of my career at 19 years of age, and the players looked at me with such disgust."

Of the game itself, Bellamy said: "The kit was awful; I looked awful.

"I was a young kid coming through at the time, scoring a lot of goals in the Championship. I was 19; everything was going in at that moment.

"The actual reflection of the game, they battered us. To come on, and it was the furthest thought from my mind that I was going to get a winner. It was crazy."

Jay Dasilva - who was born just six months before Bellamy's moment of magic in Copenhagen - revealed the head coach had not mentioned his goal to the squad.

But the Coventry City left-back duly vowed to "pull him up on it" after facing the media on the eve of the Nations League contest with the Danes.

A decade later, Bellamy inflicted maximum damage on Denmark once again.

Approximately 15 miles southwest of Parken Stadium, Wales took on Denmark in November 2008, a game in which Aaron Ramsey made his senior international debut.

Bellamy drilled beyond goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen from around 20 yards out in the 77th minute to earn John Toshack's side a surprise friendly victory.

"I asked him to play deeper and go behind, and he still got his chances in the first half and scored the winning goal as well," boss Toshack said after the contest.

Now leading Wales from the sidelines rather than on the pitch, Bellamy has the tough task of toppling Denmark as a coach.

Like Wales, Brian Riemer's side lost their opening Nations League A game on Thursday night as they were beaten 3-2 by Norway in Oslo.

Denmark also failed to qualify for this year's World Cup, as did Bellamy's men, after suffering penalty shootout heartache in the play-offs against Czechia.

With Wales winless since beating North Macedonia in November last year and Denmark without a victory since overcoming the same opponents in the World Cup play-off semi-finals in March, both sides are bidding to end long waits to register a tick in the win column.

Denmark boss Riemer said the fixture with Wales is a "must-win", with Bellamy going on to add that he could "understand the frustrations" of the Danish supporters.

The Wales head coach felt it was wise not to "poke the bear" when it comes to making any predictions about the contest with the somewhat wounded Danes.

But he will be quietly confident that his side have a chance of creating yet more positive headlines against Denmark as they bid to prove they have what it takes to do the business in the top tier of the Nations League.