LONDON: Gareth Bale said he wants to round off “an incredible journey” by taking Wales to a first World Cup since 1958 as he prepares to win his 100th cap against Belarus on Saturday.
The Real Madrid forward became the then youngest player to appear for his country in May 2006 when making his debut in a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago aged just 16.
More than 15 years on, Bale will become the second Welshman after Chris Gunter to reach a century of caps after recovering from a hamstring tear that has kept him out for the past two months.
“It has been an incredible journey and one that started very young,” said the 32-year-old, the country’s record scorer with 36 goals.
“To get 100 caps will personally be an incredible achievement and one you never think about when you start out.
“We have been through the lows when I first joined to grow Welsh football, to try to put it on the right path and inspire the generations coming through. We have done a great job and hopefully there is more to come.”
A four-time Champions League winner at Madrid, Bale has also led his country to two European Championships, including a run to the semifinals in 2016.
But he admitted playing at a World Cup remains a glaring omission on his sparkling CV.
“The World Cup is something at the top of everyone’s list,” he said. “It is the next thing we want to do — the thing we haven’t done before.
“As much as I will enjoy hopefully getting the 100th cap, the most important thing is the game and not the occasion.”
Wales are guaranteed a World Cup qualifying playoff spot in March due to their Nations League success.
But they could make life easier for themselves with positive results at home to Belarus and Belgium, whom they play on Tuesday, in their final two qualifiers.
Four points would be enough to secure second place in Group E and home advantage in their playoff semifinal.
Two wins would even secure automatic qualification in the unlikely event Belgium lose at home to Estonia.
Bale wants World Cup to round off 100-cap journey with Wales
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Bale wants World Cup to round off 100-cap journey with Wales
- More than 15 years on, Bale will become the second Welshman after Chris Gunter to reach a century of caps
- "To get 100 caps will personally be an incredible achievement and one you never think about when you start out,” Bale said
Real Madrid, Zalgiris headline adidas NextGen EuroLeague in Abu Dhabi
- 8 top under-18 teams compete for place in Athens final in May
- Tournament is at city’s Space42 Arena from Feb. 27 to March 1
RIYADH: Abu Dhabi will have Europe’s brightest young basketball talent this week at the adidas NextGen EuroLeague tournament.
Eight of the continent’s leading under-18 teams will compete from Feb. 27 to March 1 at Space42 Arena, with a place at the finals in Athens on the line. The finals in May will be staged alongside the EuroLeague Final Four in the Greek capital.
Defending continental champions Zalgiris Kaunas and five-time title holders Real Madrid headline the Abu Dhabi qualifier, which forms part of the 2025–26 adidas NextGen EuroLeague season.
The eight teams have been divided into two groups of four and will play in a round-robin format. The winners of each group will advance to Sunday’s championship game, while placement fixtures will determine the remaining standings.
The Abu Dhabi event follows the Ulm qualifier, won by U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana, who have already secured their place in Athens. The winners of upcoming tournaments in Bologna (March 13–15) and Belgrade (March 20–22) will complete the finals lineup.
Group A features Real Madrid alongside U18 Aris Thessaloniki, U18 Dubai Basketball and U18 AS Monaco.
Aris enter their third season in the competition, having finished seventh at the Munich qualifier last year with a 2–2 record after placing sixth in Abu Dhabi the previous campaign.
Dubai Basketball are also competing in their third NextGen season. The UAE side finished eighth in Ulm last year with a 0–4 record but claimed a notable win over U18 Mega Super Belgrade at the NextGen Finals.
However, they missed another victory against U18 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan to finish 1–2 overall. Dubai previously hosted a 2024 qualifier, ending with a 1–3 record.
Monaco make their second appearance after an eighth-place finish in Paris in 2024.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, will be aiming to reassert their dominance after an uncharacteristic third-place finish at last season’s Munich qualifier ended a streak of 11 consecutive qualifying tournament victories.
The Spanish powerhouse had also won 19 straight NextGen games dating back to the 2022 finals in Belgrade before falling to Zalgiris in the group stage last year.
Real are the competition’s most successful club with five continental titles (2015, 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024) and are competing in their 19th consecutive season since 2007–08.
Group B has reigning champions Zalgiris Kaunas take on U18 London Lions, U18 Next Gen Team Abu Dhabi and U18 Valencia Basket. London Lions make their tournament debut as the club continues to expand their European presence.
The Next Gen Team Abu Dhabi compete in their fifth season and second under head coach Dogus Balbay, a two-time EuroLeague champion. He is assisted by former Italian international Massimo Bulleri and Kheeryoung Rhee.
Valencia Basket are making their 10th appearance in the competition and their eighth in succession. The Spanish side have twice reached the finals, in Vitoria-Gasteiz in 2019 and as hosts in 2021, and finished runners-up in Munich last season after three consecutive fifth-place finishes.
Zalgiris, one of the most storied names in the tournament’s history, are appearing in their 24th edition — having featured in every NextGen season since its inception.
The Lithuanian club won the inaugural event in 2003, added another title in 2007 and lifted the trophy again last summer in Abu Dhabi. They also reached the championship game in 2005, 2006 and 2011, underlining their pedigree at youth level.
