Gareth Bale could retire if Wales fail to qualify for 2022 World Cup

The 2021/22 campaign could be Gareth Bale’s last ever at Real Madrid and even in football.

David Ornstein reports in The Athletic that Bale could announce his retirement from the game if Wales fail to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Bale’s Madrid contract expires on 30 June 2022 and with no sign of renewing that deal, it appears that he will leave Los Blancos after nine years at the club.

The Wales international, 32, is not expected to depart in January. If Wales do make their way to the World Cup and Bale wants to feature in the finals, he will look to join a club in order to get himself ready for the tournament in December.

Speaking on Friday, Carlo Ancelotti discussed Bale’s current injury status. “He has an issue in the back, he is not feeling well, he cannot push 100 percent so until he doesn’t feel the pain he cannot be used by me.”

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