Bale walks off after Real Madrid star asked if he has played last game for Wales after Euro 2020 defeat by ... - Goal.com

Gareth Bale

Chris Burton

Last Updated1 hour ago

18:18Jun 26, 2021

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The 31-year-old has decisions to make at international and club level, but he will not be revealing those at this stage

Gareth Bale walked away from a question on his future after seeing Wales slip out of Euro 2020, with the Real Madrid forward refusing to be drawn on his plans.

Another continental adventure came to a close for the 31-year-old on Saturday as a 4-0 defeat was suffered at the hands of Denmark in the last 16 of the European Championship.

There had been suggestions prior to that contest that a man with 96 caps for his country was preparing to slip into international retirement.

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Has Bale played his last game for Wales?

BBC Sport put that question to Bale as he reflected on a disappointing showing against Denmark, but got no answer.

Bale's international career

A man who became the most expensive player in world football when making a move to Real Madrid from Tottenham in 2013 made his international debut in May 2006.

He is now just four appearances short of reaching a century, but it remains to be seen whether he will reach that landmark.

There are just 18 months before the next major international tournament on the sporting calendar, with the 2022 World Cup set to take place in Qatar next winter.

Bale may decide that he can play on to that point, especially as qualification for that event has already begun - with Wales taking three points from two games.

He has hit 33 goals for his country - nobody has managed more - and can look back fondly on helping his nation to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 and the knockout stages of the same competition five years on.

What did Bale have to say about defeat to Denmark?

While reluctant to be drawn on his future, with there still questions to be answered at club level as well following a loan spell back at Spurs in 2020-21, Bale did cast a critical eye over a demoralising setback against Denmark.

He told BBC Sport of a contest that saw Robert Page's side finish with 10 men following the dismissal of Harry Wilson: "It's not how we wanted the game to go, from our point of view we started very well and then the game changed.

"We tried to play in the second half but made a mistake to concede which killed the momentum on our side.

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"To finish how we did is disappointing but the boys are frustrated and angry, understandably, I'd prefer us to go out that way.

"It's disappointing that's all I can say. We've missed an opportunity but I can't fault the effort and that's the minimum requirement, I'm proud of them still."