Bale well on way to becoming Wales' best

Matt Jones - Editor 11:07 14/06/2015
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  • Bale back to brilliant best.

    With Gareth Bale spearheading the charge, there is a tangible sense of optimism that Wales will finally put more than half a century of hurt behind them and qualify for next year’s European Championships.

    Friday’s 1-0 defeat of Belgium, the talismanic Bale (who else) netting the only goal at a vociferous Cardiff City Stadium, has put the Dragons in the driving seat for Euro 2016. 

    The top two in each qualifying group are guaranteed passage to France, although Wales’ work is far from done. Chris Colemen’s men have four games left, at home to Israel and Andorra, as well as trips to Cyprus and Bosnia Herzegovina.

    But with Bale putting his domestic woes with Real Madrid aside and driving his country onwards, the Dragons finally look set to consign the last 57 years of mediocrity and suffering to the flames. 

    If they can capitalise on an excellent result against the star-studded Belgians and finish the job, Wales will appear at a first major finals since the 1958 World Cup. And Bale, above anyone else, deserves to be paraded on one of international football’s grandest stages wearing the colours of his country, especially after what he has done during this qualifying campaign. 

    In six Group B qualifying games Bale has scored five times. He has a further two assists – directly influencing seven of Wales’ eight goals.

    Bale celebrates his Belgium strike

    A major tournament is something Ryan Giggs, despite his undeniable talent, could never inspire Wales to. Something his glittering career will forever be bereft of. Something Bale is on the brink of.

    He has, of course, already dazzled in some of football’s finest arenas; the hat-trick for Tottenham against Internazionale at the San Siro, the stunning goal at the Mestalla to win the 2014 Copa del Rey for Real, and the winner in the Champions League final to claim La Decima for Los Blancos.

    Before Bale, Giggs was always considered Wales’ finest product. But the Manchester United legend never truly performed for his country. Forget all the huff that Giggs should have played more games, that Sir Alex Ferguson exerted significant control over Giggs’ availability for his country. He still won 64 caps, but never dominated for Wales like he did at United. 

    Bale does so for both club and country. He is undoubtedly the star, yet at the same time he is unquestionably a team player. While Cristiano Ronaldo adores being in the limelight at Madrid, Bale is only interested in Wales’ success. You could see that by the way he celebrated on the pitch after the Belgium game. 

    He said after it: “I think everybody knows how much I want to get to a major tournament with Wales. It’s top of my list now. It’s on, so we’ll keep working hard to do it.”

    It is indeed on. And if Wales’ star continues to rise, from the number 22 in the FIFA world rankings they currently occupy, success for them and Bale will go hand in hand. 

    A young Bale representing Wales

    He won his 50th cap on Friday and, aged just 25, it’s easy to picture him becoming Wales’ record appearance maker. He is 42 shy of Neville Southall’s benchmark (92) and could feasibly become the first Welshman to break 100 caps. 
    His 17th goal for Wales also leaves him just 11 shy of Ian Rush’s record of 28. 

    Should he go on to top both, in addition to leading Wales to France next year, he will well and truly have eclipsed Giggs as the greatest ever Welsh player.

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