Gareth Bale Suspends Talk of Retirement after Wales Qualify for 2022 World Cup

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By Martin Graham | 6th Jun 2022

Wales beat Ukraine 1-0 on Sunday night to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar. Following the win, Gareth Bale has put on hold plans to hang up his boots until after the World Cup.

The most important competition in global football and possibly sports as a whole is the World Cup. The 2022 World Cup will alter the schedule of world football, with FIFA claiming that weather conditions forced them to shift the competition to November. The party is complete and the dates locked in with all the teams ready to make it the most exciting tournament the world has ever seen.

Several players would be missing from the party, but it would in no way diminish the excitement the tournament is already brewing. Talks have already started on the countries most likely to win the World Cup. The top clubs remain Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Spain and France. One country that will not be on the list of possibles or probables is Wales.

Wales managed to get over the line with a 1-0 victory over Ukraine as they ended a 64-year wait to feature at the World Cup. The future of Welsh winger Gareth Bale is back at the top of discussions.

Bale speaks about his future

Gareth Bale saw his Real Madrid career end as he lifted his fifth Champions League trophy with the Spanish giants. The Welsh winger became a free agent and led Wales to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar later this year. In a 1-0 victory over Ukraine, Bale saw his freekick deflect off the head of Andriy Yarmolenko to seal the playoff victory. The win in Cardiff ended a 64-year wait to qualify for the World Cup.

Bale opened up on his future, claiming he would postpone thoughts of retirement.

ESPN claims they received information from sources that Gareth Bale had prepared to hang up his boots if Wales did not qualify to be in Qatar. The 32-year-old said he would shelve his plans of retiring from the game. He said retirement would be suspended, maybe for a little bit. According to Bale, going to the World Cup is the greatest in Welsh football history.

In the World Cup, Wales will feature in Group B, alongside England, the United States and Iran.

What it means to Bale

Speaking on the achievement, Bale said it meant everything to him. The former Real Madrid player was short of words to describe the feeling, but he said the team had worked towards it since he became a part of the squad.

Ukraine were desperate to fly its flag in Qatar and mounted plenty of pressure on Wales, but the Welsh team held off the Ukrainians with stout and desperate defending. Wayne Hennessey was crucial to the victory as the goalkeeper made nine saves to help Wales qualify for the World Cup.

It was a victory worth celebrating, and Bale was enthusiastic for the party to get started. According to Bale, It was the last jigsaw they wanted, and the team and nation would celebrate it.

Bale concluded by saying Wales are a small nation, and it feels tremendous to take everyone to the World Cup.