It's the end of the road for Wales in the World Cup and it could signal a new era for Rob Page's side, with a number of older players now left with a decision to make about their future.
Perhaps no member of the Wales squad has faced greater speculation about the future of their playing career than Wales' captain, most capped male player and record goalscorer, Gareth Bale.
The talismanic forward has been integral to Wales' development since he made his debut way back in 2006, leading them to two European Championships, reaching the semi-finals in 2016, as well as a first World Cup appearance in 64 years.
READ MORE: Gareth Bale hooked at half-time in Wales' crucial World Cup match with England
But while he has firmly cemented his place as one of Wales' greatest ever sportsmen, fans know he cannot go on forever, and there have long been suggestions that Bale, who has had a lack of game time at club level for years, could hang up his boots following the tournament in Qatar.
The question will be on everyone's lips following Wales' elimination, especially after he was hooked at half-time against England. Here's everything you need to know about Bale's future in a Wales shirt.
Will Gareth Bale retire after the World Cup?
There was plenty of speculation earlier in the year that Bale would retire from football altogether if Wales failed to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar. However, after that historic win over Ukraine, he confirmed that his retirement would be postponed "for a little bit".
Hanging up his boots was also an option for the star when he left Real Madrid in the summer after nine trophy-laden years, picking up a fifth Champions League title in his final season despite a significant lack of playing time. However, he chose to keep playing and signed for MLS side Los Angeles FC, a move many saw as a way for Bale to maintain fitness either side of international matches.
After making the move to the United States, he was adamant that it was not the beginning of the end of his career, saying that he had "many years to come” and had his sights on taking Wales to the next European Championships in Euro 2024.
“I want to give myself the best opportunity to go to the next Euros or maybe even further," he said in July. "I want to make my mark on this league and I think by being here it gives me the best chance of going to the Euros and you never know maybe one more."
The international future of Wales' most capped player and record goalscorer has also been called into question in Qatar, with Bale quizzed in the lead up to his side's final group match against England.
But when asked if the crucial clash could be his last in the red jersey of Wales, Bale simply responded: "Nope."
This seemed to put retirement rumours to bed, although it is unclear whether the forward meant that he would not be hanging up his boots following the tournament or he expected Wales to qualify for the knockout rounds despite the odds stacked against them.
What has Rob Page said about Bale?
Ahead of the World Cup, the Wales boss said he expected his captain to keep on playing following the tournament, saying he was "always there" for his country regardless of his club situation and "just loves" playing for Wales.
“He will carry on," said Page when quizzed on Bale's future post-Qatar. "I expect him to be there. I do.
"I will tell you why, irrespective of what is going on in his career, he is always there for Wales. Whether he is playing or not at club level he just loves playing for Wales.
“If we have two games back-to-back, I’ll say to him, ‘You’re not starting the second game, I’ll see how it goes and might need you late on’. But he will be the one going to me on the bench, ‘Get me on. I want minutes. I can affect the game.’ I am having to pull the reins on him. He just loves playing for Wales, especially in Cardiff.”
Could other Wales players retire after the World Cup?
Bale is not the only ageing star in the Welsh squad, with a number of core players approaching their mid-thirties. As well as Bale, who is 33, there is Aaron Ramsey,31, Joe Allen, 32 and Chris Gunter, 33, as well as 35-year-old Wayne Hennessey, whose World Cup finished early when he was sent off in the 2-0 defeat to Iran.
Many of these veterans have been tipped to retire after the World Cup, which may be seen as a last hurrah for many of the stars who were pivotal to their side's glorious Euro 2016 run - but no such plans have been confirmed by any member of the squad so far.
Prior to the World Cup, Rob Page, who is now under contract until after the next tournament in 2026, admitted that it would be a shock if these members of the squad all bowed out at the same time following their Qatar journey, claiming that they want to avoid having a "severe impact" on the team and culture of the squad.
“We want Gareth to stay involved as long as he can," he said. “All the guys are aware of the culture so they are going to be sympathetic if and when they decide to step aside. I don’t think there is going to be a mass of six or seven leave.
“They respect the culture so much, they don’t want it to have a severe impact. Hearing Gareth say he wants to stay on beyond the World Cup is great , especially for the younger players. He can have an influence on them at every camp. You can’t go from them having a big influence to a big chunk of them leaving."
He added: “To keep that culture going we need as many senior players that have had that influence from 2016. It might not be the case with some of them but they think that much of what we have done here, they have promised they will not all leave together."
