Bale relishes unforgettable 50th cap

Gareth Bale declared he is “not going to forget” his 50th appearance for Wales after scoring the winner in a 1-0 triumph over Belgium.

The Real Madrid winger slotted his 17th goal for Wales as he brought up his half-century of caps on Friday, helping his country to a famous victory, which took them closer to their first international tournament since 1958.

Wales, who have only qualified for one World Cup or European Championship in their history, moved three points clear of Belgium in Group B of Euro 2016 qualifying, with four games remaining.

“Unbelievable result!!” Bale wrote on Twitter afterwards.

“Huge thanks to all the fans for making it such a special night. Can’t wait for the next 50 caps.”

The 25-year-old followed that with a photo of him and some of his team-mates inside Wales’ dressing room, declaring: “Not going to forget tonight!”

Wales and Belgium both entered the qualifying match at Cardiff City Stadium unbeaten, and Bale decided the contest in the 25th minute, taking advantage of a defensive error from Radja Nainggolan to finish past Thibaut Courtois.