Ben Davies: Wales and Tottenham Hotspur’s reluctant star

When Davies was asked about that block before Wales met Slovakia again three years later, he simply remarked: “It’s a good memory, but hopefully I won’t have to do it again this time around.”

Those moments are all well and good, Davies thought, but he would prefer a straightforward victory, a clean sheet and, frankly, less of a fuss.

By this time, however, he had already joined Tottenham, with whom he would play in one of the most extraordinary ties in Champions League history.

Just 24 hours after Liverpool had overturned a 3-0 first-leg deficit to stun Barcelona at Anfield, Spurs mounted another comeback for the ages against Ajax.

Trailing 3-0 on aggregate with 35 minutes left to play in Amsterdam, two Lucas Moura goals had dragged Spurs back into contention.

Then in the sixth minute of added time, Davies intercepted an Ajax clearance to launch the counter-attack which culminated in Moura’s hat-trick and sealed the most dumbfounding of triumphs on away goals.

At the final whistle, it was telling that then-Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, overcome with emotion, ran on to the pitch and leapt into Davies’ arms.

The Welshman had been Pochettino’s first signing following his appointment in 2014 and, five years later, Davies was the first person with whom the Argentine shared his greatest moment as Spurs boss.

“He is still young, but his mentality, his maturity – he is so professional – he is helping the team every season,” said Pochettino.

“He’s fantastic, not only today but from the day he arrived. He’s a great professional, a great player and a great man.”

Davies is now Tottenham’s longest-serving current player, with more than 300 appearances to his name.

Son Heung-min, who left Spurs during the summer of 2025, was one Davies’ best friends at the north London club.

“Ben is one of my closest friends,” Son said in 2023. “He helped me settle in London very well.”

Davies and Son caught a train from London to Cardiff together before Wales played South Korea in a friendly in September 2023.

True to form and even with one of the world’s most globally renowned footballers for company, Davies managed to navigate the journey without much attention, gave Son a hug goodbye on the platform at Cardiff Central and set off to rejoin the Wales squad.