Former Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid player Gareth Bale has revealed that he intends to compete at both the 2026 World Cup and the 2024 Euros.
The Wales captain, whose contract with Real Madrid expired this sunmer, was formally unveiled as an LAFC player last night as he turns 33 this week.
Although Bale has agreed to a one-year deal with the MLS team with the possibility of an 18-month extension, many believed that the World Cup in November in Qatar—Wales’ first major international tournament in 64 years—would be his last.
But Bale hasn’t ruled out competing in either the 2024 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico or the upcoming Euros in Germany.
The Wales captain trained with his new LAFC teammates for the first time on Monday. Afterward, he said: “I haven’t come here for the short-term. I am still 32. I still have many years to come and I haven’t come here just to be here for six months or 12 months. I want to be here for as long as possible.
“I want to do as well as I can to make my mark on this league and this team and I am looking forward to the future. It’s not just a short thing.”
He added that the new move gives him the best opportunity to play at the Euros in 2024 and could even play more as he plans to work hard.
Gareth Bale is Wales’ highest goal scorer and has played in two Euros finals already.
That’s what we like to hear 👀
— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) July 11, 2022
Gareth Bale is here to stay!⚽
Could we see him at Euro 2024?🏴 pic.twitter.com/qzZtEq1yYu
The former Real Madrid star has made 106 appearances for his country and scored 40 goals since he first played for them in 2006. Before his move to LAFC, Bale was heavily linked with a return to the Premier League and his hometown club Cardiff after his amazing nine-year spell with Real Madrid, where he won five Champions League titles, came to an end.
But while speaking on why he joined the United States of America club, he said that the club is special and it was very clear that he wanted to play for them. Bale recognized the friendly environment the club has for its fans and is hopeful to play his part in taking the club to the next level and winning trophies.
The 32-year-old joined Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur and has been an important player for the Spanish giants. However, his performance at the club recently was behind expectations which made him a regular bench warmer and consequently led to his exit from the club days before his contract with the club officially expired.
