Wales manager Rob Page has confirmed Gareth Bale will "definitely" continue playing club football beyond this season if Wales reach the World Cup.
Bale is out of contract at Real Madrid at the end of the current campaign and will not see his deal in Spain renewed. The former Tottenham star has barely featured since returning from his loan spell with the Premier League side, and was booed by Real Madrid supporters when making his first home appearance since 2020.
He remains well-loved on the international stage, though, and scored twice in a World Cup play-off against Austria to take Page's team within one game of qualification for the tournament in Qatar. And, with potential games against England, the United States and Iran to come, Bale isn't done just yet.
"If we get to the World Cup in November, then he will definitely be playing football," Page told The Athletic. "The World Cup is his dream, the one thing missing from his CV.
"Where he’ll play, I’m not sure. Whether he comes home, stays in Spain, fancies another challenge, I really don’t know.”
Bale has come in for criticism from the Spanish media after excelling for his country while playing a bit part role under Carlo Ancelotti at club level. The 32-year-old said those labelling him a parasite "should be ashamed," and Page has taken his player's side on the matter.
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"I’m absolutely appalled by it," Page continued. "I know Gareth well now and a lot of people don’t see what he does off the pitch, the donations he made to the NHS recently, to a hospital in Cardiff — a considerable amount of money.
“He doesn’t get credit for that because he doesn’t shout about it and people don’t hear about it. He keeps it to himself.
"That parasite comment made my blood boil. I don’t like that. That’s not the Gareth Bale who is the captain of our country, who represents us . And he never will be that.”
Bale returned to Spurs on loan for the 2020-21 season, seven years after moving to Real Madrid in a world record deal. He scored 16 times for the London club, including 11 times in 20 Premier League appearances, but has struggled for a foothold since returning to his parent club.
A goal against Levante in August is his only strike for Los Blancos this season, and he has started just once for Ancelotti's side since the turn of the year. Indeed, he has played more minutes for Wales this season than he has for Real Madrid.
Page's men face their showdown World Cup qualifier in June, after the end of the European club season. They will take on either Scotland or Ukraine, who had their own play-off semi-final postponed amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine shortly before the originally scheduled fixture in March.
