Gareth Bale 50th Wales appearance against Belgium

Gareth Bale 50th Wales appearance against Belgium

 

Gareth Bale claims all his focus is on winning Belgium as he prepares to make his 50th appearance for Wales on Friday.

Wales hope to take a massive step towards qualifying for their first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, by winning the Group B European Qualifier in Cardiff.

Belgium, ranked second in the world, only lead Chris Coleman's side on goal difference at the halfway point of the qualifying campaign for Euro 2016.

"It's a big moment for me to get my 50th cap but that all goes out the window really," the Real Madrid star Bale told FAW TV.

"We're so concentrated on the game, on trying to get the victory and a good performance that kind of goes right to the back of my mind.

"I'm just purely focused on the job in hand because we know it's going to be a very difficult game.

"We know the quality of players they've got but we've also got quality ourselves."

There will be a 33,000 sell-out at the Cardiff City Stadium and Bale is banking on the home crowd to give Wales a lift.

"Hopefully they can keep supporting us, be the 12th man on Friday and get behind the team," Bale said.

"It's been a long time coming and there has been a lot of hard work over the years and a lot of ups and downs.

"But I think the whole nation now can see that we're doing well, working hard and playing good football.

"We're full of confidence, which is always a good thing, so hopefully we can provide a great performance and a great victory to put us on our way."

For the last few years, there has been a whisper about a golden generation of young Welsh footballers.