Decorated former Rangers star ends 13-month exile from international wilderness at age of 34

The 86-times capped Ramsey has been selected in a 26-man squad for the Wembley friendly with England on October 9 and the World Cup qualifier against Belgium in Cardiff four days later.

Ramsey, who spent six months at Rangers in 2022, signed for Mexican club Pumas UNAM in the summer and returned from a five-month lay-off in August following hamstring surgery. The 34-year-old midfielder has built up his fitness by making three starts and three substitute appearances for Pumas over the last month or so.

Ramsey’s career has tailed off following his move to Ibrox on loan from Juventus at the start of 2022. He was signed by Giovanni van Bronckhorst and was part of the squad that reached the Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt in Seville, only for the ex-Arsenal man to miss a decisive penalty in the shoot-out.

Ramsey won numerous trophies during his time in north London but since his spell at Ibrox, he has moved to France’s Ligue 1 with Nice and returned back to his formative club Cardiff City, although he was unable to stop them being relegated to League One and even had a brief spell as caretaker manager.

Ramsey was freed in the summer and is now trying his hand in the Mexican top flight.

Wales boss Craig Bellamy also welcomes back Ethan Ampadu after injury ruled the influential Leeds midfielder out of last month’s 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory in Kazakhstan. But Burnley full-back Connor Roberts and Wrexham goalkeeper Danny Ward are unavailable through injury.

Tottenham defender Ben Davies will become the fourth Welshman to win 100 caps should he play against England and Belgium, emulating the achievement of Gareth Bale, Wayne Hennessey and Chris Gunter. Joel Colwill features after a late call-up last month which saw the Cardiff attacking midfielder make his debut in the friendly defeat to Canada.

Colwill joins Cardiff team-mates Dylan Lawlor and Ronan Kpakio in Bellamy’s squad.

Wales’ trip to Wembley is their first meeting with England since the 2022 World Cup. The Dragons lost that group clash in Qatar 3-0 and have not beaten England since 1984.

Wales sit third in their World Cup group, one point behind North Macedonia and equal on points with Belgium, who have a game in hand. The group winners qualify directly for the World Cup, with Wales almost certainly guaranteed a play-off place due to their Nations League results last year.

Wales squad: K Darlow (Leeds), A Davies (Sheff Utd), T King (Everton), B Cabango (Swansea), J Dasilva (Coventry), B Davies (Tottenham), R Kpakio (Cardiff), C Mepham (West Brom), D Lawlor (Cardiff), J Rodon (Leeds), N Williams (Nottm Forest), E Ampadu (Leeds), J James (Leicester, on loan from Rennes), J Sheehan (Bolton), A Ramsey (Pumas UNAM), J Colwill (Cardiff), D Brooks (Bournemouth), S Thomas (Stoke), H Wilson (Fulham), N Broadhead (Wrexham), L Cullen (Swansea), M Harris (Oxford), L Koumas (Birmingham, on loan from Liverpool), D James (Leeds), B Johnson (Tottenham), K Moore (Wrexham).