World Cup

GARETH BALE is wanted by Wales boss Robert Page in their future set-up despite his retirement.The Dragons most-capped player with 111 appearances and record goalscorer on 41 announced he had called time on his glittering career on Monday and left the door open for a possible return one day.
Gareth Bale has been offered a coaching role with Wales by boss Robert PageCredit: Rex
Bale told Page as well as club side Los Angeles FC in the MLS on Sunday of his decision to retire at the age of 33.
But Page has held talks with Bale and the talisman could make a non-playing comeback ahead of the Euro 2024 qualifiers in March in either a coaching or ambassadorial role.
Page said: “I’ve had that conversation but I would love him still to be involved in some capacity. Now what that role is, we don’t know yet.
“He just needs some time with his family. It’s a big adjustment for him, training every day to go into a normalish life and doing the school run, but we’ll have another conversation with him in a few weeks.
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“We’ll make a plan moving forward because he’s got so much to offer. Even his presence in the dressing room, the hotel environment is something I would be really keen on to keep him involved, but I’ll leave it up to Gareth and what suits him and his family. I think he would be keen as well. 
“You’ve seen Belgium do it with Thierry Henry. Ex-players stepping up, whether it’s a coaching role, an ambassadorial role, or being part of a committee making decisions. I’m sure the FAW (Football Association of Wales) would also be keen to keep Gareth involved in some capacity.”
Bale bows out from playing following a disappointing performance at the World Cup where Wales exited at the group stage.
The ex-Tottenham and Real Madrid star struggled for match fitness and Page was in full agreement of his captain’s decision to hung up his boots.
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Page told BBC Radio Wales: “Gareth messaged me on Sunday to say he needed a conversation. I knew it was something significant, I was out and about at the time but I said, ‘Look, I’ll be back in half an hour and I’ll give you a ring.
“When he announced it to me it didn’t come as a complete surprise. I think he’d just got off the phone to LA and told them of his decision. For him to make the decision was a massive moment.
“I told him, ‘I agree with your decision and I think it’s the right time to bow out. You’ve just scored in a World Cup and got everything on your CV, what you’ve achieved with Wales is incredible. You should be enormously proud.
“I said I respected him for letting me know and giving me a heads up. I wished him all the best and said he’s been an unbelievable servant.
“I have been blessed to have an opportunity to work with him. He’s such a wonderful person, not just a good talented footballer.  He’s a nice person and he will be a loss in that changing room because he’s such a presence.”
Wales face Croatia in their Euro 2024 qualification opener in Split on March 25. Would Bale have started had he not retired?
Page said: “He would have had a part to play. I would have selected him in the squad. The roles might have changed slightly. “Would he be able to play 90 minutes back to back?
“Lessons have been learned from Qatar, the athleticism every team had out there. It’s too big an ask probably for him, he might have been an impact player coming off the bench.
“There’s a mixture of emotions for me. I’m excited now because it’s an opportunity to get some of the young ones through – players like Brennan Johnson to take the opportunity and step up to the plate – and get the next Gareth Bale. There will be changes made in March.
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“But there’s also a hint of sadness because it’s the last time we’ll see Gareth Bale putting a pair of boots on to play for Wales. He’s got a wonderful family that he will now enjoy spending time with. There might be the odd round of golf in there as well!”
Bale’s best moment? Page added: “It’s the free-kick against Ukraine to get us to the World Cup. That celebration after. Wow. It makes me emotional just thinking about it. That’s the best moment for me.” More

CRISTIANO RONALDO is set to DOUBLE his £175million annual salary by promoting Saudi Arabia’s 2030 World Cup bid -taking his earnings to nearly £1m a day.The veteran Portuguese forward signed for Al-Nassr last month after being axed by Manchester United.
Cristiano Ronaldo is set to promote Saudi Arabia’s 2030 World Cup bidCredit: Rex
Ronaldo, 37, penned an astonishing two-year, £175m-a-season contract with the Saudi Pro League side.
And that will be just the beginning of his earnings in the Middle East.
According to news agency AFP, Ronaldo will pocket a further £175m for promoting the Saudi 2030 World Cup bid.
It is unclear if this further £175m will be in one lump sum – but could see him pocket £350m in a year – just shy of £1m a week.
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Any involvement in Saudi Arabia’s attempts to host the 2030 World Cup would see the former Real Madrid star promote a rival bid to that of his own country.
Portugal, alongside Spain and Ukraine, are also preparing to try to earn hosting rights for the 2030 competition.
Spain have hosted a World Cup before, while Portugal and Ukraine are yet to receive the honour.
Saudi Arabia are bidding alongside Egypt and Greece in what would be a bumper three-continent tournament.
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Ronaldo, 37, is set to earn £175m for promoting Saudi Arabia’s bidCredit: Rex
A spokesperson for Ronaldo has denied that he has agreed to promote the 2030 World Cup.
Ronaldo was officially unveiled as an Al-Nassr player last week alongside partner Georgina and the kids, after flying in to Saudi Arabia on a private jet.

AFP report that Ronaldo’s arrival at Al-Nassr was backed by senior Saudi royals – including Mohammed bin Salman.
They add that MBS and his brothers are Al-Nassr supporters – and wanted to give their club global recognition.
Ronaldo was suspended for his new side’s 2-0 victory over Al-Ta’ee, but watched on from the stands.
He has been living in luxury since moving to the Middle East, staying in a super-sized “Kingdom Suite”.
Spanish paper Marca claim that Ronaldo will be given access to luxury rooms in Riyadh – as well as a private plane.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner will again have to sit out of his new club’s match this weekend as he serves the second game of his suspension.
He is expected to make his Al-Nassr debut on January 22, when they take on Ettifaq.
But his first match since signing for his new team may not even be for them.
Instead he is expected be part of a team made up of stars from Al-Nassr and fellow Saudi side Al-Hilal in an exhibition game.
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They are set to take on Lionel Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain in a friendly on January 19th.
Messi, 35, penned a £25m a year deal to promote Saudi Arabia last May.
Ronaldo was presented to the Al-Nassr crowd alongside his familyCredit: Rex More

TEN days after the death of Pele, Brazilian football lost another of its idols – one of the biggest in the immediate post-Pele era – when Roberto Dinamite died of cancer on Sunday at the age of 68.His is not a name that has anything like the same international ramification of Pele – then again, no one else does – but nonetheless his is a name that carries plenty of weight.
Brazil legend Roberto Dinamite has passed away at the age of 68Credit: AFP
Dinamite scored more goals than anyone in the Brazilian championshipCredit: Getty
Along with Pele, Roberto – Bobby Dynamite – is the only outfield player to have appeared in more than 1000 games for the same club.
Pele, of course, did it for Santos, while Roberto represented Rio de Janeiro giants Vasco da Gama.
In their time Vasco have had some truly great players – the spine of Brazil’s wonderful 1950 World Cup side, for example, and more recently the likes of Romario, Edmundo and Juninho Pernambucano.
But in poll after poll Roberto tops the list. He is Vasco da Gama’s all time biggest idol.
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A tall, rangy centre forward with a rocket shot – hence the nickname – Roberto did not have the technical repertoire of Pele – again, who does? – but he was direct and relentless, and posed a constant threat to the opposing goal.
He made his debut as a 17 year old in 1971, the season that Brazil finally launched a genuine national championship.
By the time he left the scene two decades later he had become, and remains – the leading scorer in the history of the championship.
Considering that back when he started the best Brazilians still played at home, that is an enormous honour.
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Roberto’s trademark toothy grin was also seen on the international stage. He had the briefest of spells with Barcelona early in 1980, and got off to a good start in Spain.
But then there was a change of coach, with the veteran defensive specialist Heleno Herrera taking over.
Suddenly there was little space in the line up for Roberto, and faced with the prospect of their idol joining local rivals Flamengo, Vasco paid up to bring him back.
And he also had a thoroughly respectable career with Brazil. 
A record of 20 goals in 38 games is more than adequate – and only fate and poor scheduling stopped him from being a hero in the 1978 World Cup.
He started the competition on the bench, but came into the team after Brazil got off to a stuttering start.
His goal against Austria ensured that Brazil qualified for the second round, where his two goals against Poland appeared to have taken Brazil through to the final.
There were no semi-finals, but two four-team groups with the winners contesting the final.
But the flawed format meant Argentina had a big advantage.
They took the field against Peru knowing how many goals they needed to overtake Brazil, and scored them all and more in a controversial 6-0 win.
Argentina then went on to beat Holland and win their first title.
It was the biggest disappointment of his career.
There was another disappointment, though, in the next World Cup. Roberto was a late call up for 1982 after the young Careca dropped out injured.
But he never got on the field, even though blunderbuss centre forward Serginho was unable to combine successfully with Brazil’s wonderful midfield.
His first international goal came against England in 1976 – a late strike that gave Brazil a 1-0 win over Don Revie’s side in the Maracana.
At the 1978 World Cup poor scheduling stopped Dinamite from becoming a hero for his countryCredit: Getty
Dinamite scored a massive 502 goals at Vasco de Gama – a record for the clubCredit: AFP
Dinamite is gone but won’t be forgottenCredit: AFP
Eight years later one of his last games for his country came against the same opposition at the same venue – but this time, with John Barnes inspired, Bobby Robson’s team came away with a famous 2-0 triumph.
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There was no dynamite, then, from Roberto on that occasion.
But there was enough over the course of a long career to inspire Vasco fans to join together and finance a statue of him, which stands proudly behind one of the goals in the club’s stadium – a permanent tribute to the memories that he left engrained in the minds of generations of supporters. More