Leeds United star's World Cup hope after first-team emergence under Daniel Farke
Karl Darlow enters the March international break as first-choice for club and country.
Karl Darlow expects to benefit from regular starts at Leeds United when he represents Wales during a massive international break.
Darlow is one of four Leeds players to join up with the Wales squad, heading down to Cardiff with Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu and Dan James. The 35-year-old made his international debut fewer than two years ago but has quickly cemented his first-choice status under Craig Bellamy.
Right now, Darlow is also first-choice at club-level having replaced Lucas Perri in the Leeds goal earlier this year. He’s started the last 10 Premier League games and heads away for international duty off the back of consecutive clean sheets against Crystal Palace and Brentford.
"I think definitely the way that I'm playing for my club at the minute, there are definitely parts of that game that have come from what I have learnt with my country,” Darlow said. “Playing club football regularly is really going to help me in terms of being in a rhythm, and coming into this camp, hopefully it stands me in good stead."
Having started Wales’ last four games, Darlow is expected to retain his first-choice status during a crucial international break. Bellamy’s side are two games away from reaching the World Cup, with victory over Bosnia & Herzegovina on Thursday setting up a play-off decider against one of Italy or Northern Ireland.
Home advantage for Karl Darlow and Wales teammates
Fortunately for Darlow and his compatriots, both the semi-final and potential final will be played in Cardiff. Like Leeds, Wales are a formidable opponent in front of their own fans and that advantage could prove crucial in getting them to the USA, Canada and Mexico this summer.
"When the draw came out that both fixtures would be at home everyone automatically thought we've got a really good chance here,” Darlow added. “I think just that mindset of having the confidence of knowing that you're playing in front of your own fans and these teams are going to have to come here and really fight to keep up with us and play the game.
"On a personal note it would mean everything to me. I know a lot of lads have got experience of being at World Cups and I think that breeds confidence as well throughout the group. And for myself, it's just adding my part to that and hoping that I can help us achieve the goal of getting to the World Cup."
Darlow is one of six Leeds players still fighting for a ticket to the World Cup, three others being his Welsh teammates Rodon, Ampadu and James. Gabriel Gudmundsson is also in play-off action with Sweden while Joel Piroe’s first ever Suriname call-up is for qualifying deciders against Bolivia and possibly Iraq.