In preparation for the European Championship, England is scheduled to host friendly matches against Iceland and Bosnia & Herzegovina in June, as announced by the English FA on Monday.
The match against Bosnia & Herzegovina is set for June 3rd at St James’ Park, marking England’s first game at Newcastle United’s home ground since 2005.
Following that, the Euro 2020 finalists will play against Iceland at Wembley Stadium on June 7th. Both matches are scheduled to kick off at 7.45 p.m. local time.
Wembley will also host England’s friendlies against Brazil and Belgium on March 23rd and 26th.
“Both opponents in June are sure to provide stiff competition and play an important part in our preparation for the tournament,” England manager Gareth Southgate said in a statement.
Commencing their Euro 2024 campaign on June 16th, England finds itself in Group C alongside Slovenia, Denmark, and Serbia.
Manchester United and Chelsea probably won’t be able to sign Jonathan Tah from Bayer Leverkusen in January. The player and the club don’t want to make a move at this time, according to reports.
The 27-year-old almost left Leverkusen in the summer. He had a release clause in his contract for just £15million, but no clubs ended up using it.
His potential future teammates may be sorry now because the defender has played 12 games in the Bundesliga this season and has helped his team reach the top of the table without losing any games.
Tah has caught the attention of United, Newcastle, and West Ham with his performances. He only has 18 months left on his contract as a Germany international player.
Sky Sport Germany says that Chelsea are interested in the experienced defender and have inquired about him.
However, Leverkusen won’t sell Tah in the middle of the season and the player won’t ask to leave.
Leverkusen is doing really well, and Tah wants to stay and win trophies with the team because he has been there for eight years.
He also doesn’t like the idea of changing teams during the middle of the season, especially because the European Championship is going to be held in Germany next summer, and he wants to play in it.
However, he wants to try playing in the Premier League in the future and will consider his options when his contract has only one year left.
Even though Leverkusen usually keeps their players, they are okay with letting Tah go. This is different from when they fought off a big offer for Tapsoba from Spurs last summer.
This will be their final opportunity to make money from the defender, and they hope to get about £21. 5 million for him.
United are looking for a new defender because they are not sure if Raphael Varane will stay for a long time. Varane, who is a veteran player from France, may leave in January because he is not playing much for the team.
Chelsea is thinking that Thiago Silva might leave at the end of this season. They have already bought some young defenders, but they might still sign another one in January, especially if they sell Trevoh Chalobah.
England players aspiring to participate in the upcoming European Championship in Germany must ensure their fitness meets the required standards, cautioned manager Gareth Southgate.
UEFA has reduced the permitted squad size to 23 players, down from the increased limit of 26 at the previous Euro edition.
The adjustment was initially made to address the potential challenges posed by COVID-19, such as player shortages due to infections and quarantine measures.
During the 2021 Euros, Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson made the England squad while recovering from injuries, and in the last World Cup, players like Kyle Walker, James Maddison, and Kalvin Phillips were included despite grappling with similar fitness issues.
“We can take far fewer gambles than we were able to take for the last two tournaments, where it was 26,” Southgate told reporters ahead of England’s Euro 2024 qualifier against North Macedonia.
“The size of the squad makes it a different sort of thought process because you’ve had that leeway in the last couple of tournaments to take players that weren’t going to be fit for the first couple of games.
“This time the physical conditioning of players is going to be really important. The ability for players to bat out six, seven games…If you can only take two for each position, players that are adaptable are helpful.”
England, who have already qualified for the Euro 2024 finals, top Group C with 19 points from seven games. They face North Macedonia in Skopje on Monday.
UEFA have confirmed format changes to both the Nations League and qualifiers for the European Championship and World Cup.
The changes to the Nations League, which began in 2018, include an additional knock-out element, with League A group winners and runners-up taking part in two-legged quarter-finals.
Teams that finish third in League A and League B will face off against the runners-up of League B and League C in two-legged promotion/relegation play-offs.
Changes to qualifying for European Championships and World Cups will now see 12 groups of either four or five teams drawn, with group winners qualifying and runners-up either also qualifying or entering play-offs.
“The introduction of the UEFA Nations League was a success story, replacing friendly games with more competitive matches,” said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.
“And now, by introducing the new knock-out phase, teams will be given even more opportunities to progress while keeping the same number of games within the international match calendar.
“The predictability of the European Qualifiers has also been addressed and tackled, with a fresh new format that will offer all the teams an equal chance to qualify for major tournaments.”
The amendments to qualifying will come into effect after Euro 2024.
It was also decided at an executive committee meeting on Wednesday that next season’s Super Cup will be moved from its original host city of Kazan in Russia to Athens, Greece.
UEFA confirmed the game between the winners of the Champions League and Europa League will be played at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in the Greek capital on August 16.
The Azzurri should have qualified for the World Cup “by right,” according to Italy player Nicolo Barella, after winning the European Championship.
Italy was eliminated after a shocking 1-0 loss to North Macedonia in a play-off qualification match in March. Despite being nearly completely dominant, Italy let up the game’s lone goal in stoppage time.
It resulted in Italy, the four-time champions, missing out on two straight World Cups—a first in their history—and Inter star Barella has felt reluctant to watch the competition because of his grievance that he should be taking part.
In fact, he advocated for giving World Cup spots automatically to the most recent champions of Europe and South America. Unless they were also included in such an agreement, confederations from other continents would probably not be too happy about such a move.
Italy, who prevailed in the postponed Euro 2020 finals last year, is still in disbelief at its World Cup qualifying misstep.
“I haven’t seen half a match of the World Cup yet, I can’t understand the feeling I feel,” Barella said.
“They say that the pitch is always right, but for me in this case it gave an unfair response. Today it was our turn, maybe tomorrow it will be the turn of others: whoever wins a European Championship or a Copa America deserves to go to a World Cup by right.”
The statement made by Barella is comparable to one made last month by Italy’s head coach, Roberto Mancini. Mancini added that every continent’s champions need to have an automatic berth in the World Cup.
🔵 The @azzurri had been eliminated from Korea/Japan 2002 by Korea Republic & fallen at the group stage of EURO 2004
🇮🇹 Italy needed a mastermind. They found one who made them the heaviest outsiders to ever win a #WorldCup
Barella can see himself staying at Inter through the 2026 competition, which will be co-hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States.
Barella, who has a contract with Inter that expires in 2026, has been linked to a number of teams, including Chelsea and Liverpool from the Premier League.
“We have to get there first,” he said of the next World Cup, “but yeah, I see myself on the pitch in 2026 still as an Inter player.”
Whether Milan Skriniar remains at Inter for so long must be in major doubt.
Paris Saint-Germain wanted him in the last transfer window and may come back in January, and the 27-year-old Slovakian centre-back is due to lapse out of contract at the end of the season.
Barella will let Skriniar make his own decisions about the future, insisting others should not play any part.
“I will never allow myself to give him advice,” Barella said. “Everyone makes their choices. Then, at the end of his career, we will see if they were right or wrong. I hope he stays because in addition to being incredibly strong, he is a brother.”
The Azzurri should have qualified for the World Cup “by right,” according to Italy player Nicolo Barella, after winning the European Championship.
Italy was eliminated after a shocking 1-0 loss to North Macedonia in a play-off qualification match in March. Despite being nearly completely dominant, Italy let up the game’s lone goal in stoppage time.
It meant four-time winners Italy have failed to qualify for two consecutive World Cups, unprecedented in their history, and Inter star Barella has felt unable to watch the tournament due to his gripe that he should be involved.
In fact, he suggested the latest winners of the European and South American championships should always be granted automatic places at the World Cup. Such a move would be unlikely to go down well with confederations from other continents, unless they were also cut in on such an arrangement.
Italy, who won the delayed Euro 2020 finals last year, remain devastated by their World Cup qualifying stumble.
“I haven’t seen half a match of the World Cup yet, I can’t understand the feeling I feel,” Barella said.
“They say that the pitch is always right, but for me in this case it gave an unfair response. Today it was our turn, maybe tomorrow it will be the turn of others: whoever wins a European Championship or a Copa America deserves to go to a World Cup by right.”
Barella’s suggestion is similar to one from Roberto Mancini, the Italy head coach, last month. Mancini also said the champions of every continent should be awarded an automatic spot at the World Cup.
Barella hopes to go to the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by Mexico, Canada and the United States, and can see him remaining an Inter player through to that time.
A host of teams, including Chelsea and Liverpool from the Premier League, have been linked as possible suitors for Barella, who has a contract with Inter that runs through to 2026.
“We have to get there first,” he said of the next World Cup, “but yeah, I see myself on the pitch in 2026 still as an Inter player.”
Kevin Sheedy (right) scored four goals in 46 games for the Republic of Ireland between 1984 and 1993.
You don’t need to go back to 1958 for the last time a Welsh-born player scored at a World Cup finals.
Terry Medwin’s winning goal in a play-off against Hungary 64 years ago in Sweden was Wales’ last goal scored in the tournament.
But the last goal to be scored by Welsh-born player in the finals was the Republic or Ireland’s first goal on the biggest stage of all.
Kevin Sheedy was born in the mid-Wales market town of Builth Wells, where he lived until the age of four, when the family moved to Hereford.
With a Brecon-born mother and with his father a County Clare native who had moved to the UK at the age of 16, Sheedy was eligible to play for Wales as well as the Republic of Ireland.
The Football Association of Wales (FAW), thanks to the efforts of former under-21 boss Brian Flynn and ex-talent manager Gus Williams, have done so much to identify and embrace Welsh qualified players in recent times.
But in the mid-1970s, an FAW official’s response to a query from a 16-year-old Sheedy would shape the course of his career.
“I was playing for Hereford United and I got a letter from the Irish FA (Football Association) to say I’d be selected for a forthcoming game,” Sheedy recalls.
“I knew I was eligible for both Ireland and Wales so I rang the Welsh FA and asked them if I was going to be in their upcoming squad.
“They gave me the answer that they weren’t in the business of telling people until it was done publicly.
“I would have had a decision to make had they said I was in the squad, but I opted for Ireland.”
Sheedy progressed through the Republic’s youth teams before he was handed his senior debut in 1984, by which time he was with Everton.
The winger with a deft left foot was a pivotal figure in Everton’s unprecedented success under Howard Kendall during the mid-1980s and was known for his trademark free-kicks.
Everton won two Division One titles, one FA Cup and one European Cup Winners’ Cup and Sheedy’s club-mates included Neville Southall and Kevin Ratcliffe.
But while the Welsh pair enjoyed domestic success with Everton, qualification for major international tournaments eluded them.
“I used to give Kev and Nev a bit of banter that they had just missed out,” recalls Sheedy.
Kevin Sheedy (left) with Everton team-mate and Wales captain Kevin Ratcliffe in 1985
“But it was a shame for those two because they were world-class players and they deserved to play at the top tournaments.”
The Republic of Ireland had not figured at any major tournaments until the arrival of England’s 1966 World Cup winner Jack Charlton as manager in 1986.
“Jack came in and he was a great bloke,” Sheedy said. “He had his own way – it was Jack’s way or the highway and if you didn’t fit into that, he was ruthless.
“He got the rules and knew who was eligible – the likes of John Aldridge and Ray Houghton.
“We already had a decent team but these were just the icing on the cake.
“We just gelled as a team and Jack got a system of play he wanted and the players bought into it.
“All the players were playing for the top teams in the top divisions so, when it came to these big international games, we had that experience to go with us and that helped.”
Charlton’s side delivered the Republic’s first a major-tournament appearance in 1988, qualifying for the European Championship in West Germany.
After famously beating England, Charlton’s men were only denied a place in the semi-finals by a late winner from eventual champions the Netherlands, and two years later qualified for the World Cup in Italy.
“We got great confidence from Euro 88 – we knew we could compete against the best sides in the world,” Sheedy added.
Charlton’s side were in Group D along with Egypt, Netherlands and England, who they played in the opening game. Sheedy scored the Irish equaliser in a 1-1 draw.
“It was a typical derby game because we all knew each other,” Sheedy said of the game, played in Cagliari in June 1990.
Kevin Sheedy beats Romania’s Silviu Lung from the penalty spot in the 990 World Cup Round of 16.
“Gary Stevens and Trevor Steven were team-mates of mine and Gary Lineker was a former team-mate and he scored after about six minutes.
“I just remember trying to play a pass to Tony Cascarino and Steve McMahon, who had just come on as a sub, intercepted it and tried to play a square pass to Gary Stevens.
“But I intercepted it and as soon as it left my boot it passed Peter Shilton’s left hand and went in the back of the net.
“It was Ireland’s first ever goal at the World Cup – a piece of history that I will always have, and it’s got be numerous free pints of Guinness all over the world.”
Draws against Egypt and the Netherlands would ensure the Republic’s place in the last 16 against Romania in Genoa.
The sides could not be separated after 120 minutes of football and so the game required penalties, with Sheedy the first to step up for his team.
“I was the penalty taker for Everton and had taken penalties for Ireland so I had the experience,” Sheedy said.
“It was a long walk but the Irish fans were behind the goal and I just held my nerve, [I was thinking] hit it as hard as I could down the middle and keep it high. I hit it perfectly, to my great relief.”
Both sides had successfully converted four penalties by the time Daniel Timofte stepped up to take Romania’s fifth kick
“You could see he was nervous in his walk,” Sheedy said.
“Packie (goalkeeper Pat Bonner) went the right way and saved. Another piece of Irish history.”
That meant that if Ireland scored their next penalty, they would go through.
But Sheedy remembers: “Nobody offered to take the fifth penalty. David O’Leary said ‘If nobody wants to take then I’ll take it’.
“I said to him as we was walking ‘Dave, just pick your spot and don’t change your mind and hit it as hard as you can’.
“He buried it in the corner and it got us through to the quarter-finals against Italy in Rome.”
But before facing with the hosts in the Olympic Stadium, Charlton’s squad went to meet the Pope.
“The story is when we landed in Italy for the first time, Ray Houghton shouted to Jack ‘what will we do if we get to the quarter finals?’,” Sheedy explains.
“Jack turned around. ‘If we get to the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Rome against Italy, I’ll get you an audience with the Pope’.
“A couple of days before the quarter-final, we all jumped on a coach not knowing where we were going and indeed we had an audience with the Pope.
“Jack must have known people in high places, but that was a magic experience.”
The Republic’s World Cup adventure came to an end as Toto Schillaci’s goal sent Italy into the last four.
“It was a tight game and we could have won it 1-0,” Sheedy said.
Jack Charlton and the Republic of Ireland squad with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican
“It was just unfortunate that the ball broke to Schillaci, as he was on fire in that tournament.
“We were bitterly disappointed and Jack said after the game ‘you don’t know how close you’ve come to winning the World Cup’.
“The supporters still come up and talk about those days.”
The Republic would also qualify for the World Cup in the United States four years later and the 2002 finals.
They will not be in Qatar, but Sheedy’s country of birth will be there after ending an absence of 64 years.
“They’ve thoroughly deserved to qualify and hopefully they can get out of the group and put in good performances,” Sheedy says.
“It’s then up to the younger players to want to be in that position, because they have got some good players.
“Hopefully this will then be the start of future tournaments for them and the supporters.”
Stale Solbakken will be without Erling Haaland for Thursday’s trip to DublinInternational friendly: Republic of Ireland v NorwayVenue: Aviva Stadium Dublin Date: Thursday, 17 November Kick-off: 19:45 GMTCoverage: Live text and report on the BBC Sport website
Norway manager Stale Solbakken has said the “world was asleep” when Qatar was awarded the World Cup by Fifa.
Solbakken added that “Fifa has the biggest failing” and made “the biggest mistake” when Qatar was controversially named as host nation in 2010.
The Norwegian boss was speaking before Thursday’s friendly with the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.
“The first years after it was given to Qatar, I think the whole world was more or less asleep,” he said.
“I think it’s only in the last years that it’s suddenly, ‘Oh, the World Cup in Qatar’.
“I don’t think football has done enough, I don’t think journalists have done enough. I think you also have been asleep for a long, long time.”
Haaland to miss Republic friendly
Qatar has been criticised for its stance on same-sex relationships, human rights and treatment of migrant workers before the tournament.
Norway, like the Republic of Ireland, did not qualify for the World Cup but Solbakken, when asked if he would have been uncomfortable taking his team to Qatar, added: “I think nobody is comfortable with it.
“But the teams that are going there, obviously the players’ main issue should be to play football and for the coaches to coach the team.
“But I think at the same time, football’s political people have a great responsibility to make a stand that this kind of way of where certain World Cups should go, that you need to act in a certain way and you have to have equal rights for all human beings and that all people are treated well.”
When asked about Solbakken’s remarks, Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny said: “It’s a legitimate criticism. I can’t discount that point of view. I personally made that point on the two occasions when we played Qatar.
“I spoke out at that time when we played Qatar in our group home and away, the disparity between rich and poor in Qatar, the deaths of the migrant workers – obviously the numbers have been questioned, different media outlets have given different accounts of what kind of numbers.
“But there’s no doubt that it was distressing and very tragic, really, in those circumstances. It shouldn’t happen, that’s for sure.”
Watch as England arrive in Qatar for the World CupKenny defends Qatar scouting trip
Kenny has defended his decision to spend five days in Qatar as he scouts France and the Netherlands before the start of the Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.
In contrast, Norway will be sending only one member of staff – an analyst to assess Euro 2024 qualifying opponents Spain.
“I’m just going in and out for five days. I’m going to see France twice – I’ve got to do the job to the best of my ability as Irish manager. I get to see France twice against Tunisia and Denmark, I get to see Holland ahead of the World Cup,” said the 51-year-old.
“Obviously, with the nature of matches only being an hour away, I get the opportunity to go to eight games in five days just to continue learning and to find out about France and Holland particularly before we play them, which is important for us, massive for us.
“Everything has been building towards this European Championship and towards attempting to qualify for the European Championship.
“That’s been a big ambition and it’s important to see the teams at their best in full flight. It gives you a real perspective on the team. That’s the reason I’m going.”
Norway will be without star striker Erling Haaland for the trip to Dublin after the Manchester City forward missed a number of games with a foot injury.
Meanwhile, the Republic could hand a debut to Oxford United’s Mark Sykes and 18-year-old Brighton striker Evan Ferguson.
UEFA confirmed it received three preliminary bid dossiers to host Euro 2028 and 2032 before Wednesday’s deadline.
A joint bid from the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland was submitted for the 2028 tournament, while Turkey also threw its hat in the ring having never hosted a major tournament.
Football associations from England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland put forward a proposal and promised to organise an “unrivalled” tournament.
The bid from the English FA comes after much criticism over its handling of fan disorder at the Euro 2020 final at Wembley Stadium, with an independent review describing it as a “day of national shame”.
Turkey also bid for the 2032 edition, as well as Italy, which has not been chosen as a sole host of a major tournament since the World Cup in 1990.
The deadline for submitting final dossiers is April 12 2023, before the hosts will be chosen in the European autumn of that year.
🏆 UEFA has received three preliminary bid dossiers to host #EURO2028 and #EURO2032.
🗓️ The submission deadline of the final bid dossiers is 12 April 2023. The appointment of hosts will be made next autumn.
Pedri believes last year’s near misses in the European Championship and the Nations League will benefit Spain in their quest to win a second World Cup this year.
The Barcelona midfielder was named Young Player of the Tournament as Spain were beaten by Italy in the semi-finals of the delayed Euro 2020, before La Roja suffered a Nations League final defeat to France last October.
While Spain have only reached the World Cup’s final four once in their past 13 participations – when they won the tournament in 2010 – Pedri is optimistic about their chances of competing in Qatar.
Asked by Mundo Deportivo whether Luis Enrique’s side could win the tournament, the 19-year-old responded: “Why not?
“You have to focus first on the group stage and then on the following rounds, but we have a team to be able to compete.
“We come from a European Championship and a Nations League where we did very well. In the Euros we reached the semi-finals, and I was sure that if we went to the final, we would win it.
“In the Nations League I could hardly play, but the team was very good. We are a very good group and it shows on the pitch.
“We don’t have a megastar, the group is our best star. When you all run together and everyone knows what they want and what you’re playing for, I think you have a lot done and a good chance of winning.
“We are going to the World Cup with everything, with a lot of desire to give the fans happiness, whether they support us from home or from Qatar. Let’s give it our all.”
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have defined a generation of football – but this is likely to be their final chance to win a World Cup.
The pair have won it all at club level but have just one major continental trophy each for Argentina and Portugal respectively.
They are two of the icons facing the prospect of their final World Cup in Qatar this winter.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
You can never rule anything out with Ronaldo but the fact he will be 41 by the time of the next World Cup means it’s likely this will be his last.
In September he said he would not be retiring after Qatar and hoped to play for Portugal “for a few more years” – so who knows?
His club future is also uncertain at the moment, following an interview containing criticisms of Manchester United.
He already has the big individual European Championship records – most tournaments played, most games, most goals – as well as winning Euro 2016. He is also the top-scoring player in men’s international football with 117 goals – including an iconic hat-trick in the last World Cup against Spain.
The 37-year-old forward is one of football’s greats with exactly 700 club goals, more than 30 trophies and five Ballon d’Or titles. But this is surely the last chance to add ‘World Cup winner’ to that incredible CV.
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
We could in truth simply copy and paste a lot of the Ronaldo section for Lionel Messi, who will turn 39 during the next World Cup.
Arguably the greatest player of all time, with 695 goals for Barcelona and Paris St-Germain and a record seven Ballons d’Or, Messi finally won the Copa America at the most recent attempt.
But glory in Qatar would finally put the 35-year-old up there with Pele and Diego Maradona for those who hold winning the World Cup as a benchmark for ‘all-time greatest’ status.
Messi comes into the World Cup in some of his best form in recent years, with 11 goals and 14 assists in 18 games for PSG.
He recently said this will “surely” be his final World Cup but nothing has been confirmed yet. And he has retired from Argentina duty in the past before coming back.
Robert Lewandowski (Poland)
Robert Lewandowski failed to score in his maiden World Cup
Robert Lewandowski is heading into only his second World Cup – and it is likely to be last.
The 34-year-old striker – who has scored 18 goals in 19 games for new club Barcelona – failed to score four (and a half) years ago in Russia during Poland’s three group games.
The Bayern Munich legend has enjoyed success at the European Championship, with five goals in 11 games, but this feels like being his last chance to score at a World Cup.
Neymar (Brazil)
Neymar, at 30, is the youngest player in this list but he has already said this could be his last World Cup.
“I think it’s my last World Cup,” he said last year. “I don’t know if I have the strength of mind to deal with football anymore.” He later claimed his quotes had been misinterpreted.
Neymar – who has scored 13 goals and assisted another 11 for PSG this season – will likely leave behind a legacy of ‘what if’ should he quit football soon.
He is one of the most talented footballers of his generation and has scored 75 international goals. But he has played in France with Paris St-Germain for almost all of his peak years – and only featured in about half their league games.
Luis Suarez (Uruguay)
Suarez is 35, so – like his former Barcelona team-mates Messi and Neymar – this could be the end of his World Cup adventures.
The former Liverpool, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid striker is a free agent, having recently returned to his first club, Nacional, and won the Uruguayan title.
He is most likely to be remembered for being sent off for a handball on the line that denied Ghana a place in the 2010 World Cup semi-final and then biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 tournament.
He is not the only Uruguay icon nearing the end of his international career – with Valencia striker Edinson Cavani, 35, and Velez Sarsfield defender Diego Godin, 36, also in the squad.
Luka Modric (Croatia)
Real Madrid midfielder Modric is 37 and this will be his eighth major tournament for Croatia. Reports suggest he will retire from international football after the World Cup – although his manager recently claimed he will play on.
He played a key role in helping his country to the 2018 World Cup final, where they lost to France.
He won the Golden Ball award for the tournament’s best player – and the Ballon d’Or.
Karim Benzema (France)
Real Madrid striker Benzema will turn 35 the day after the World Cup final.
He comes into the tournament having won the 2022 Ballon d’Or after scoring 44 goals in 46 games, although he has only netted five times this season.
This will be his second World Cup, having previously played in 2014. He was left out in 2010 while 2018 fell during his near-six-year exile from the national team for his part in a sex tape blackmail case.
Gareth Bale (Wales)
Gareth Bale scored the goal to book Wales’ place in the World Cup in their play-off final against Ukraine
Wales legend Bale is heading into his first World Cup – and it could also be his last.
The 33-year-old has said he does not plan to retire after Qatar but he will be 37 in the summer of the next World Cup.
Bale joined Los Angeles FC in the summer after his Real Madrid contract expired – and helped them to win the MLS Cup. There were suggestions he may have chosen to retire had Wales lost in the play-offs.
Manuel Neuer (Germany)
Bayern Munich and Germany’s Neuer has been one of the best goalkeepers of his generation.
He won the 2014 World Cup and was named in the team of the tournament.
Neuer will be 40 by the time of the next World Cup in 2026… although six goalkeepers have played at the tournament past that age, so it is possible he could make it.
Sergio Busquets (Spain)
Busquets has been one of the great holding midfielders of the past 20 years – enabling some of his legendary Barcelona and Spain team-mates to do their stuff going forward.
But he is 34 and his legs and influence are not what they once were.
It is hard to see the 2010 World Cup winner featuring again in four years’ time.
