Wales legend Gareth Bale said that he would have enjoyed playing under former teammate and current national team coach Craig Bellamy.

Bale retired from football in 2023 as Wales’ leading goal-scorer, having made 111 appearances for his country. The former attacker added that he believes Wales have taken steps forward since Bellamy took charge in July 2024.

Wales have lost just twice in 12 games since last summer, including a thrilling 4-3 defeat to World Cup qualifying rivals Belgium in Brussels.

Despite that defeat, Bale is confident that his former side are ‘right in the mix’ for qualification to next summer’s tournament.

Going into October’s pivot match in Cardiff, just one point separates Wales, Belgium, and North Macedonia at the top of qualifying group J, with only the side that tops the group guaranteed of a spot at the World Cup.

“I played with him so it would have been great of course but obviously my time was right to go and I think it was the right time to step aside and not hog the limelight, let the youngsters come through and take the team for the next 10 years,” said Bale.

“The campaign so far has been good, there has been a few nervy times but I think what Craig has done has been great.

“He’s come in, he’s taken over, he’s given that passion back to the team and made it very young and fresh, which I think it needed. I think it’s good, we’re right in the mix where we want to be.”

Wales currently sit third – level on points with Belgium despite having played a game more – so Bellamy’s side will need a victory if they are to avoid the play-off spot in second.

“We have very good teams in the group as well so I think the main thing with a campaign, you can easily be knocked out of a campaign very quickly and the fact that we’re still in the mix, we’re right there at the top with the other nations, is important,” he said.

“It’s going to be a big game against Belgium but I’m sure Craig’s going to get the players ready and the fans will definitely be there to cheer them on.”

Away from following Wales’ World Cup qualifying campaign, Bale has been reportedly busy preparing bids to buy a controlling stake in his hometown club of Cardiff City, alongside a consortium.

The interest expressed during the summer was dismissed by Cardiff’s current owner Vincent Tan and Bale has quashed any talk of an imminent breakthrough.

“I knew football wasn’t going to last forever anyway. I enjoy being with family, keeping in football a little bit by doing some stuff on the TV. My kids keep me very busy,” he added.

“It’s great to now have that time to spend with them and not be away every weekend and missing a lot of them growing up, just being able to go out and be a dad finally. At the moment I’m quite content where I am.”

Bale, though, is not ruling out involvement in football in the future.

“Like I said, if something was to happen with a football club, I would definitely be interested and would love to explore it,” he added.

“I’m still pretty relatively new into retirement so I’m still enjoying that phase of relaxing a bit.”

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