Gareth Bale has hit out at the "disgusting" coverage he receives in the Spanish media after scoring a sublime double to send Wales to within one more win of World Cup qualification.
The 32-year-old scored a stunning free-kick and showed superb feet to bag a second from a corner as Robert Page's Wales beat Austria to set up a World Cup play-off final against either Scotland or Ukraine in June, which could see them qualify for the first time since 1958.
Having played just two hours of football across the last six months for Real Madrid, Bale once again turned up for his country with a huge performance in Cardiff on Thursday night.
The former Tottenham star has long been targeted for strong criticism by the Spanish press and ahead of this international break was labelled "the Welsh parasite" by Marca. The same Spanish outlet also ran a picture of Bale training with Wales under the headline ‘it doesn't hurt anymore’ after the forward was absent from the Madrid squad with a back problem.
Bale celebrated his two goals against Austria by thumping the Wales badge on his chest and, while insisting he was not sending a message, he said critics in Spain should be "ashamed of themselves."
"I don't need to send a message," said Bale. "I don't need to say anything. It's a waste of my time."
He added: "It's disgusting. They should be ashamed of themselves. I am not fussed, end of. I can hit a free-kick if I am able to play. It was nice to see it go in.
"That's half the job done. We will enjoy tonight. There is still another tough game against either Scotland or Ukraine and we will be ready for that when it comes."
Bale has won 14 trophies with Real Madrid, including four Champions League titles and two LaLiga crowns, but has long been vilified in Spain, something that was only inflamed when he posed with a Welsh flag which read, "Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order," after securing qualification for Euro 2020.
With his contract up at the end of the season, Bale is expected to leave Madrid as a free agent but could still yet write what could prove the greatest chapter of his career by taking Wales to a World Cup.
Team-mate and former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey said: “It’s not been easy for [Bale] but him coming and playing for his country, it means everything to him. You can see that from the way he plays.
"We are game away from a World Cup which is everything for me, for Balo (Bale), for the nation, for the group of lads. We have come a long way since the early days and this would be the icing on the cake, to qualify."
With Scotland's play-off against Ukraine postponed until at least June due to Russia’s invasion, Wales have more time to prepare for their historic showdown than other nations in the play-offs, meaning they can savour a superb evening in Cardiff.
"I don't think it's sunk in properly yet. What a game, what a night, what an occasion," said Wales boss Page.
"The star man turns up - I have just said to him that's the best free-kick I have ever seen in my life. He hasn't played many minutes but at least he has been training day in, day out. Did we anticipate he would play 90 minutes? Probably not.
“We are a cup final away now, that’s it. We prepared like any other game and it was all about Austria. They are a very good team. We are one win away from the World Cup.”
