Gareth Bale added to his legend of decisive goals

Gareth Bale left Real Madrid with the aim of reaching the first World Cup of his career in shape and in Qatar, at 33 years old, in his debut he increased his legend as a decisive player on big occasions.

The ‘Cardiff Express’ wrote another chapter of his immense contribution to his country on the historic day which marked his return to a World Cup since 1958. Bale was barely noticed in the game against the United States when, on the On 81 minutes, he was angered when he took a penalty after feeling contact on the back of Walker Zimmerman and was in charge of converting it despite the fact that goalkeeper Matt Turner had guessed his intention and managed to hold onto the ball. A play that was enough for him to be named MVP of the match.

A goal, his 41st in 109 as an international since his debut in 2006, which joins a long list of his hallmarks that have helped Wales break into world football’s elite in recent years.

Wales’ youngest ever goalscorer

Now in his third game in his country’s shirt, Bale became the youngest goalscorer for Wales’ senior team at the age of 17 years and 35 days by scoring the only goal in Cardiff against Slovakia ( 1-5) in the Euro 2006 qualifying match.

Goal on his debut in the Eurocup, Nations League and World Cup

Wales did not participate in that final stage and had to wait until 2016 to play their first Euro Cup, a tournament in which Bale made his debut scoring a goal against Slovakia (2-1) and was instrumental along with two others to reach the semifinals in a historic feat.

Bale also scored on his Nations League debut (4-1 against Ireland in 2018) and, of course, he did so on his World Cup debut against the United States. It was Wales’ first goal in the tournament since Terence Medwin in June 1958.

End the 64 year wait for his goal

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23,553 days have passed (the longest wait for a team) since Wales returned to a World Cup and Bale ended this endless journey in the desert by scoring a goal in the play-off final against in Ukraine (1-0) that On June 5, he qualified his country for Qatar 2022.

Executioner of the United States, his new home

FIFA did not allow him to wear the rainbow bracelet today as Wales captain, but Bale also left his mark for becoming the first player to score a goal against the United States while playing for a club in a North American country.

MLS final decided in extra time

There, in his first season in MLS, Bale was also decisive in Los Angeles FC’s title win by forcing a penalty shootout with his headed goal in the 128th minute, eighth break in extra time, shortly after taking the field. It was 3-3 against the Philadelphia Union and he didn’t have to throw the shootout (3-0).

Unforgettable goals at Real Madrid

Among Bale’s famous goals in big matches, it is worth noting the ones he scored for Real Madrid against Barça in the 2014 Copa del Rey final (1-0) after leaving Marc Bartra and coming down the left wing. That same year, he led the victory in the Champions League final against Atlético (4-1) by making it 2-1 after extra time.

And in this relationship, the two goals against Liverpool in the 2018 Champions League final in kyiv cannot be lost to an unforgettable Chilean kick and the subsequent whiplash from outside the area swallowed by goalkeeper Loris Karius.