List of international goals scored by Gareth Bale
![A football player wearing a dark football kit with neon trim.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/AUT_vs._WAL_2016-10-06_%28157%29.jpg/170px-AUT_vs._WAL_2016-10-06_%28157%29.jpg)
Gareth Bale is a Welsh professional footballer who has represented the Wales national football team as a forward since 2006. He made his debut appearance for Wales on 27 May 2006, during a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago; at 16 years and 315 days old, Bale was the youngest ever player to represent the side at the time.[1] In October 2006, during his third appearance for Wales, he scored directly from a free kick in a 5–1 UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying defeat against Slovakia to become the nation's youngest ever goalscorer.[2] As of 8 September 2021, he is the country's all-time top goalscorer with 36 goals in 99 appearances.[3]
On 13 October 2015, Bale scored his nineteenth international goal in a 2–0 victory over Andorra during Wales' final qualifying match for UEFA Euro 2016, helping secure the nation's first appearance at a major international tournament since the 1958 FIFA World Cup.[4] Bale was Wales' top scorer in their successful qualifying campaign, finishing with a tally of seven goals.[5] During the final tournament in France, Bale scored in all three group matches at the tournament, against Slovakia, Russia, and England, as Wales topped their group and would go on to reach the semi-finals.[6] Bale's opener from a free kick in his side's first group game against Slovakia was the first goal at a major international tournament by a Welsh player since Terry Medwin scored against Hungary in 1958.[7] Bale became the Welsh national team's all-time top goalscorer on 22 March 2018, after scoring a hat-trick in a friendly against China at the China Cup.[8] Bale entered the match on 26 goals, two short of fellow countryman Ian Rush's record tally, having not scored an international goal in eighteen months since November 2016.[9] He scored twice in the first half of the game to equal Rush's record, before surpassing it with his third goal in the second half. He also became the first Welsh player to score a hat-trick at international level since Robert Earnshaw in 2004.[10] He scored his second hat-trick in a fixture in September 2021, during a 3–2 victory over Belarus.[11]
Bale has played for Wales in the qualifying campaigns of every FIFA World Cup and European Championship since UEFA Euro 2008, as well as in the finals of Euro 2016, where the side reached the last four before being knocked out by eventual champions Portugal.[12] He also featured in the finals of Euro 2020, where Wales reached the round of 16, but Bale failed to score a goal.[13] He has scored more times in qualifying matches than in any other format with 22 goals (14 in Euro qualifiers and 11 in World Cup qualifiers). Bale's other goals include six in friendly matches (including three in the China Cup), three in the European Championship finals, and two in the UEFA Nations League.[6] He has scored more times against China, Belarus and Andorra than any other opponent, with three goals each against the sides.[6]
Goals
- As of match played 5 September 2021. Wales' score listed first, score column indicates score after each Bale goal.[6][14]
No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 7 October 2006 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | 3 | ![]() |
1–2 | 1–5 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualification | [15] |
2 | 28 March 2007 | 6 | ![]() |
2–0 | 3–0 | [16] | ||
3 | 12 October 2010 | St. Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland | 27 | ![]() |
1–1 | 1–4 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualification | [17] |
4 | 7 October 2011 | Liberty Stadium, Swansea, Wales | 31 | 2–0 | 2–0 | [18] | ||
5 | 11 October 2011 | Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria | 32 | ![]() |
1–0 | 1–0 | [19] | |
6 | 12 November 2011 | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | 33 | ![]() |
1–0 | 4–1 | Friendly | [20] |
7 | 11 September 2012 | Karađorđe Stadium, Novi Sad, Serbia | 36 | ![]() |
1–2 | 1–6 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification | [21] |
8 | 12 October 2012 | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | 37 | ![]() |
1–1 | 2–1 | [22] | |
9 | 2–1 | |||||||
10 | 6 February 2013 | Liberty Stadium, Swansea, Wales | 39 | ![]() |
1–0 | 2–1 | Friendly | [23] |
11 | 26 March 2013 | 41 | ![]() |
1–0 | 1–2 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification | [24] | |
12 | 5 March 2014 | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | 44 | ![]() |
3–1 | 3–1 | Friendly | [25] |
13 | 9 September 2014 | Estadi Nacional, Andorra la Vella, Andorra | 45 | ![]() |
1–1 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2016 qualification | [26] |
14 | 2–1 | |||||||
15 | 28 March 2015 | Sammy Ofer Stadium, Haifa, Israel | 49 | ![]() |
2–0 | 3–0 | [27] | |
16 | 3–0 | |||||||
17 | 12 June 2015 | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | 50 | ![]() |
1–0 | 1–0 | [28] | |
18 | 3 September 2015 | GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus | 51 | ![]() |
1–0 | 1–0 | [29] | |
19 | 13 October 2015 | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | 54 | ![]() |
2–0 | 2–0 | [30] | |
20 | 11 June 2016 | Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France | 56 | ![]() |
1–0 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2016 | [31] |
21 | 16 June 2016 | Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France | 57 | ![]() |
1–0 | 1–2 | [32] | |
22 | 20 June 2016 | Stadium Municipal, Toulouse, France | 58 | ![]() |
3–0 | 3–0 | [33] | |
23 | 5 September 2016 | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | 62 | ![]() |
3–0 | 4–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification | [34] |
24 | 4–0 | |||||||
25 | 9 October 2016 | 64 | ![]() |
1–0 | 1–1 | [35] | ||
26 | 12 November 2016 | 65 | ![]() |
1–0 | 1–1 | [36] | ||
27 | 22 March 2018 | Guangxi Sports Center, Nanning, China | 69 | ![]() |
1–0 | 6–0 | 2018 China Cup | [8] |
28 | 2–0 | |||||||
29 | 6–0 | |||||||
30 | 6 September 2018 | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | 71 | ![]() |
2–0 | 4–1 | 2018–19 UEFA Nations League B | [37] |
31 | 16 November 2018 | 73 | ![]() |
1–2 | 1–2 | [38] | ||
32 | 6 September 2019 | 78 | ![]() |
2–1 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2020 qualification | [39] | |
33 | 13 October 2019 | 81 | ![]() |
1–1 | 1–1 | [40] | ||
34 | 5 September 2021 | Central Stadium, Kazan, Russia | 98 | ![]() |
1–0 | 3–2 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification | [11] |
35 | 2–2 | |||||||
36 | 3–2 |
Statistics
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See also
- List of international goals scored by Ian Rush
- List of top international men's association football goal scorers by country
References
- ^ "Bale savours record Wales debut". BBC Sport. 28 May 2006. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ Davies, Sean (7 October 2006). "Wales 1–5 Slovakia". Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "Wales national football team statistics and records: top scorers". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
- ^ Pritchard, Dafydd (13 October 2015). "Wales 2–0 Andorra". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ Mayhew, Ben (8 June 2016). "Infographic: The top scorers in Euro 2016 qualifying". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
- ^ a b c d Mamrud, Roberto. "Gareth Bale – Goals in International Matches". The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ Penman, Andrew (11 June 2016). "Euro 2016: Wales 2 Slovakia 1". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ a b "China PR v Wales". Soccerway. 22 March 2018. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
- ^ "Gareth Bale says becoming Wales' record scorer is career highlight". BBC Sport. 22 March 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ Pritchard, Dafydd (22 March 2018). "China PR 0–6 Wales". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ a b "World Cup qualifying: Belarus 2-3 Wales - Reaction after hat-trick hero Bale scores last-gasp winner". BBC Sport. 5 September 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
- ^ McNulty, Phil (6 July 2016). "Portugal 2–0 Wales". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ Pritchard, Dafydd (26 June 2021). "Wales 0–4 Denmark". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ^ "Bale, Gareth". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ^ "UEFA Euro 2008 – Wales-Slovakia". UEFA.com. 7 October 2006. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "UEFA Euro 2008 – Wales-San Marino". UEFA.com. 28 March 2007. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "UEFA Euro 2012 – Switzerland-Wales". UEFA.com. 12 October 2010. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "UEFA Euro 2012 – Wales-Switzerland". UEFA.com. 7 October 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "UEFA Euro 2012 – Bulgaria-Wales". UEFA.com. 11 October 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ Hughes, Dewi (12 November 2011). "International friendly: Wales 4–1 Norway". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
- ^ "Serbia 6–1 Wales". UEFA.com. 11 September 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ Pope, Bruce (12 October 2012). "Wales 2–1 Scotland". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "Wales 2–1 Austria". BBC Sport. 6 February 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ Pope, Bruce (26 March 2013). "Wales 1–2 Croatia". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ Pope, Bruce (5 March 2014). "International friendly: Wales 3–1 Iceland". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "UEFA Euro 2016 – Andorra-Wales". UEFA.com. 9 September 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "UEFA Euro 2016 – Israel-Wales". UEFA.com. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "UEFA Euro 2016 – Wales-Belgium". UEFA.com. 12 June 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
- ^ "UEFA Euro 2016 – Cyprus-Wales". UEFA.com. 3 September 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "UEFA Euro 2016 – Wales-Andorra". UEFA.com. 13 October 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "UEFA Euro 2016 – Wales-Slovakia". UEFA.com. 11 June 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "UEFA Euro 2016 – England-Wales". UEFA.com. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "UEFA Euro 2016 – Russia-Wales". UEFA.com. 20 June 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ Pritchard, Dafydd (5 September 2016). "Wales 4–0 Moldova". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ Pritchard, Dafydd (9 October 2016). "Wales 1–1Georgia". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ Pritchard, Dafydd (12 November 2016). "Wales 1–1 Serbia". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "UEFA Nations League – Wales-Republic of Ireland". UEFA.com. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ "UEFA Nations League – Wales-Denmark". UEFA.com. 16 November 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- ^ Pritchard, Dafydd (6 September 2019). "Wales 2–1 Azerbaijan". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
- ^ Pearlman, Michael (13 October 2019). "Wales 1–1 Croatia". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 October 2019.