Bale makes a song, dance with Wales
Gareth Bale laughed and danced with his Welsh international teammates behind a flag that had the message: “Wales. Golf. Madrid. In That Order.”
The forward can look forward to playing in another major tournament with Wales after yesterday helping the national team secure a place in next year’s European Championship.
Given the way he celebrated qualification, Bale’s football future with Real Madrid might not be so rosy.
Aaron Ramsey scored twice — the first goal set up by a cross from Bale — as Wales beat Hungary 2-0 in a winner-takes-all match in Cardiff.
Wales climbed from fourth to a second-place finish in Group E behind Croatia, leaving Hungary to attempt to get to the finals via the playoffs in March. Slovakia, who beat Azerbaijan 2-0 yesterday, finished in third place and will also contest the playoffs.
It will be a second straight Euros for the Welsh, after 2016 in France when they reached the semifinals in their first major tournament in 58 years. That was under Chris Coleman and now they are coached by Ryan Giggs, the Manchester United great.
Under Giggs, Wales could be a threat at the Europe-wide tournament in June and July next year, with their forward line containing Bale and Manchester United’s Daniel James while Ramsey — now at Juventus after leaving Arsenal in the offseason — makes runs from midfield.
Much will hinge on the fitness of Bale and Ramsey, who are injuryprone. This was the first time they started together for Wales since a Nations League qualifier against Denmark last November.
“This is where we want to be,” Bale said about Wales reaching a major tournament for only the third time. “We will go there and have some fun again.”
He looked like he was having fun after the match as he danced on the field behind a flag whose message was seemingly linked to recent comments made by former
Real Madrid player Predrag Mijatovic when discussing Bale’s priorities at Madrid.
Bale, who is big golf fan, has rarely appeared for Madrid in recent weeks because of injury but was able to play for Wales in their two Euro 2020 qualifiers over the past week.
Once again, he shone for Wales. Bale was given time and space to curl in a left-footed cross from the right wing that Ramsey met at the far post to head high into the net. Ramsey’s second goal, in the 47th, was a cool finish from close range after he latched on to an acrobatic effort by substitute Kieffer Moore.
“It’s about time he contributed!” Bale said jokingly about Ramsey. “He’s a world class player, it’s great to have him back and his goals helped us through.”
The Slovaks could have qualified in second place if the Wales-Hungary match had finished in a draw. They did all they could, winning in Trnava courtesy of Robert Bozenik’s 19thminute goal and another from Marek Hamsik in the 86th.
On the final night of qualifying, topranked Belgium completed a perfect campaign in Group I by thrashing Cyprus 6-1 for a 10th straight win.
Christian Benteke and Kevin De Bruyne both scored twice, with Yannick Carrasco also on the score sheet and Christoforou Kypros scoring an own goal.
Belgium were the most prolific team in qualifying, scoring 40 goals from 15 different players. Roberto Martinez’s side also conceded just three goals.
Russia beat San Marino 5-0 and finished second, with their only losses coming against Belgium.
Germany and Netherlands were already assured of advancing from Group C and they both finished with big home wins.
Serge Gnabry scored a hat-trick and Leon Goretzka added two more for Germany in their 6-1 win over Northern Ireland in Frankfurt. Georginio Wijnaldum, standing in as captain, also scored three goals in the Netherlands’ 5-0 victory over Estonia. Germany topped the group, two points ahead
of the Dutch.