Gareth Bale has been branded 'the biggest let-down' of the 2022 World Cup, following Wales' disappointing campaign in Qatar.
Bale scored his side's only goal of an underwhelming tournament, stepping up to hammer home a second-half penalty against the USA. It was arguably the only high point of a dismal three games, with defeats to Iran and England landing Wales bottom of Group B.
The 33-year-old, who netted a decisive free-kick against Ukraine to send Wales to their first World Cup since 1958, endured a particularly difficult tournament, and was even subbed off at half-time during the defeat to the Three Lions.
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Bale had prepared for his first World Cup by moving to MLS side Los Angeles FC in the summer, after leaving Real Madrid on a free transfer. Speculation was rife over his next move, with hometown club Cardiff City among those mentioned. Indeed Bale's representatives had spoken to the Bluebirds over what would have been a sensational homecoming.
The Wales captain opted for a move Stateside instead, but former Chelsea defender Jason Cundy believes Cardiff, or indeed Newcastle United, who were also linked with a swoop, might have been more beneficial to Bale's preparations.
“Bale’s problem is that he ticked over in the US at LAFC,” he told Grosvenor Sport. “And you can’t just tick over ahead of a World Cup.
“He would have been better off going to a team like Cardiff or Newcastle, doing something here and having the physical and mental challenge every single week. He’s gone out to the US and been playing in a league where he can just coast along. Why did he go out there?”
Ex-Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara, alongside Cundy, added that Bale was one of the most disappointing players of the tournament. “The biggest let-down at the World Cup for me, player-wise, has been Gareth Bale,” he said.
“Everyone talked about Bale going into the tournament, how he dragged Wales there, everyone hyped him up. He goes out to LAFC to try and keep himself fit and then he turns up to the World Cup and he was useless, he was nowhere near good enough for Wales.
"And we’re not talking about someone that’s 38 here, like a Pepe or a Cristiano Ronaldo. He’s only 33, he’s still got legs in him. But he’s gone out to LA to play golf, living the dream in California, coming off the bench for LAFC...
“And he expects to turn up to a World Cup and he’s going to perform? That’s why, for me, he’s been the biggest let-down of the tournament. He thought he could roll up to a World Cup and perform for Wales and be their main man, but he was useless.”
After the circumstances around his side's exit, there may well be questions over Bale's Wales future, although the man himself has seemingly insisted he has no intention of walking away from international football.
Asked whether he'd be involved in the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers in March, he replied: "I will keep going as long as I can and as long as I am wanted. It's a difficult moment now obviously.
"We go again. We have a qualifying campaign starting up again in March and we have a few months to get away from international football for months, which is obviously disappointing. But we go again in March."
When pressed further on whether that campaign would involve Bale, he simply replied: "I hope so, yes."
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