David Ornstein of The Athletic has reported that former Tottenham Hotspur player Gareth Bale will consider retirement if Wales fail to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Gareth Bale Will Consider Retirement But Only if Wales Miss Out on Qatar World Cup
Lack of Contract
Gareth Bale will become a free agent in the summer as his Real Madrid contract comes to an end and it has left the Welshman thinking about his future. Bale will not be staying at Madrid unless there is a sensational turnaround, but if Wales do not qualify for the World Cup, it may be that a sensational career finally comes to a close.
If Wales do qualify, then Bale might be tempted to consider a short term deal so he can keep his fitness, although there is little doubt that even without a club he will be on the plane with Rob Page and the rest of the Welsh team.
Qualifying for the World Cup would be the first time it has happened since 1958 and representing Wales at the tournament would be a perfect end to a glittering career.
Southampton to Tottenham and Madrid
From the south coast to the capital of England and Madrid, it has been some journey for the young man from Wales. Bale became the world-record signing at the time when he left Spurs for Real in 2013 and has won four Champions Leagues and two La Liga titles in that time.
He eventually fell out of favour at Real under Zinedine Zidane and returned to Spurs on loan for the 2020/21 season, playing under then-boss Jose Mourinho. It wasn’t quite the homecoming expected though as playing in empty stadiums due to the pandemic didn’t quite work and fans were left disappointed that they couldn’t give him the adoration they wanted.
Whatever happens, Bale has had a rich career exciting fans all over the world and if Wales can qualify for the World Cup then maybe he can have one last hurrah.
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