Wales winger Gareth Bale has confirmed he has no plans to retire from international service following his side’s exit from Euro 2020.
Before the tournament began, there were plenty of rumors suggesting that Bale could retire altogether, with some stories going so far as to claim that the Real Madrid freight forwarder was instead looking at a professional golf career.
These stories were not surprisingly wasted by Bale’s agent, but the Welshman still left the world in suspense when he admitted that he had already decided his next move but did not want to “cause chaos” by revealing his choice.
The next chapter in this saga came after Wales’ elimination from Euro 2020 from Denmark’s hands, after which Bale quickly walked away from an interview with the BBC when asked if he had played his last game for Wales.
That reaction apparently sent the rumor mill into exaggeration, but Bale quickly calmed things down after that by admitting to S4C that he plans to continue representing his country.
Has Gareth Bale played his last game for Wales?
… That’s the answer to that?
?? Response: https://t.co/d1dOk6F84u#WALDEN # Euro2020 # bbceuro2020 pic.twitter.com/EPWUc7fflU
Today’s match (@BBCMOTD) June 26, 2021
“I want to keep playing. People ask stupid questions all the time, but I obviously love playing for Wales,” said Bale. “I play for Wales until the day I stop playing football.”
“We have just started the World Cup campaign, and we have to take this experience into it. I feel we have a very good way to play when we play well and we have to keep that confidence high, keep playing football and I think that we can qualify for the next World Cup. “
Bale’s decision to leave the first interview was praised by Wales boss Robert Page, who questioned why reporters felt it was right to ask such an important question immediately after being eliminated from the tournament.
The site felt that Bale was right / Koen van Weel – Pool / Getty Images
“Like all other players in the locker room right now, he’s disappointed,” Page said (via Sky Sports News). “Why would he want to answer a question about his future? For me it is an insensitive question.
“What’s the point of asking that when he just got off the field after a defeat? Emotions are raw, so he’s done the right thing by going away and gathering his thoughts.”
For more from Tom Gott, follow him on Twitter!
