Gareth Bale vows to continue playing for Wales

Captain Gareth Bale said he will continue playing for Wales for “as long as I’m wanted” after defeat by England sealed their World Cup elimination.

A 3-0 loss at Doha’s Ahmad bin Ali Stadium means Wales end a disappointing World Cup campaign bottom of Group B.

Bale, 33, says he will be back for international duty when Robert Page’s side begin Euro 2024 qualifying in March.

“I’ll keep going as long as I can and as long as I’m wanted,” he said.

“It’s a difficult moment now obviously but we go again. We have a qualifying campaign starting in March.

“We have a few months to get away from international football which is disappointing, we would love to have stayed [at the World Cup] longer, but we go again in March.”

There had previously been speculation that former Real Madrid and Tottenham forward Bale would retire after this World Cup, Wales’ first since 1958.

Page’s team leave Qatar having taken only one point from three group games and with a feeling that they have not done themselves justice at the tournament.

Bale, the nation’s most-capped male player, is one of a number of senior figures in the Wales squad, but he rejected the suggestion that the end of this World Cup campaign could prompt a period of transition for Page’s team.

“Just because we have had a difficult tournament, it doesn’t mean it’s an end of an era,” Bale said.