World Cup experience has reignited Luton defender Lockyer's hunger for more Wales caps

Luton defender Tom Lockyer has reignited the fire in his belly to become a regular at international level for Wales after his first-hand experience of the World Cup Finals recently.

The 25-year-old was part of Rob Page’s squad who flew out to Qatar for the tournament, their first venture to such a competition since 1958.

Although it didn’t go to plan, Wales knocked out in the group stages with just a point to their name after defeats to England and Iran, Lockyer, who has now been at both the Euro Championships and the World Cup, has had his appetite whetted for more.

He said: “It was really good, it was great to be back amongst the boys that I’ve been away from for quite a while and has really given me that hunger to try to go again.

"I didn’t feature but it’s given me that hunger to want to get more caps and want to play more and represent my country more, so it was a good thing.

"I’d have loved to have played, it wasn’t meant to be, but it’s just reignited that fire inside my belly for more caps for Wales.

“I went there, trained as well as I can, trained my heart out every day, to be ready in case I was needed.

"Unfortunately I wasn’t, but you have to train hard and show what you can do just in case..

"Hopefully I’ve done enough to be in future camps, but that’s going to depend on performances with Luton from here to the next one.”

Naturally hoping for a call before the tournament began, Lockyer hadn’t been expecting one having won the last of his 14 international caps back in September 2021 and not featuring in Page’s squads ahead of the tournament.

However, his consistently excellent form for the Hatters meant he could no longer be ignored, and when asked just how he found out he was on the plane, Lockyer added: “I had a little inkling.

“They sent me for blood tests and a heart scan the week before, and the only other time I’ve done that was for the Euros.

"So I was like maybe I’m on a close standby here in case someone drops out, then you need to be ready.

"Then on the day of the announcement I got a text saying I’d made the 26, which I couldn't quite believe.

"I didn't really want to tell too many people until I've seen it on the TV in the night myself.

“It was amazing, it was incredible, it’s the biggest spectacle in the world.

"To be able to do it from inside the Wales camp was quite special and something that will live with me forever.”