Brennan Johnson says 'more to come' as he approaches 50 Wales caps

Brennan Johnson will make his 50th appearance for Wales against Norway in the Nations League on Saturday, 14 November, and said "There's definitely more to come and I'm excited for the next years," as he reflected on his international progress. The 25-year-old Everton forward said he is pleased with his achievements but wants to reach further milestones with Wales.

Johnson, who made his Wales debut in 2020 aged 19, is set to become the third-youngest Welsh player to reach 50 caps after Ethan Ampadu and Chris Gunter. He had played for England at age-grade level before switching allegiance in 2018, a choice he described as one he “never looked back” from. Johnson has one major tournament on his CV, the 2022 World Cup, having missed out on Euro 2020, and Wales did not qualify for this summer's World Cup. Cardiff has been named as one of eight host cities for Euro 2028, a prospect Johnson said added motivation for the squad.

Discussing the idea of a home European Championship, Johnson said: "Even when I think about having a Euros here now, it is special." He added: "We've got a good squad and a lot of players playing at a good level. Everyone knows it's coming up and it motivates us to work hard and show what we can do."

On his decision to represent Wales, Johnson said: "As soon as I came to Wales I got a [good] feeling straight away and never looked back." He reflected on personal highlights, saying: "You appreciate every cap for what it is, [50] kind of sneaks up on you a little bit." Johnson called playing at a World Cup "the highlight" and said: "It didn't go how we wanted it to, but I dreamed of playing at a World Cup from a young age."

Recalling the national side's recent history, Johnson said there was belief carried over from earlier squads: "There's a real confidence and I think it comes from the groups that were before." He noted that earlier runs at major tournaments offer assurance, saying: "Even before I was playing for Wales, the lads got far in the Euros and it gives you the confidence that it is possible." Johnson added: "We want to carry on and raise the levels as much as we can. It's difficult because there were some unbelievable players in the past and it's hard to replicate directly against those players. But as a team we want to give everything we've got, that's a good place to be."

Johnson's club career began at Nottingham Forest, where his goals helped secure promotion to the Premier League in 2022 and then preserve the club's top-flight status the following season. He moved for £47.5m to Tottenham, a fee that made him the second-most expensive Welsh signing after Gareth Bale, and scored the Europa League final winner against Manchester United to end the club's 17-year trophy drought. After a brief spell with Crystal Palace he joined Everton in the summer and has scored once this season, in the Carabao Cup.

Johnson reiterated his ambition for more success with Wales, saying: "I'm really happy with what I've achieved in football. But at the same time I want to achieve more, especially with Wales." He described his 50-cap landmark as an honour and said he hopes there are further big moments ahead.

The Nations League match against Norway kicks off at 17:00 GMT on Saturday, 14 November; it will be shown live on BBC iPlayer, BBC Two Wales, BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru and 5 Live Sports Extra, and covered on the BBC Sport website and app with live text commentary.