Gareth Bale banned by Wales coach Rob Page from playing golf during FIFA World Cup 2022

With just over a week remaining for the FIFA World Cup 2022 to begin in Qatar, Wales manager Rob Page has put an early ban on Gareth Bale from playing golf. The Welshman is a well-known lover of the sport, having faced severe criticism for his habit of playing golf during his time at Real Madrid. Bale was often criticised during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu for his golfing habits, with some going to the extent of stating that the Welshman prioritized golf over playing for Real Madrid.

Wales coach bans Gareth Bale from playing golf

While speaking to the media about the agenda of Wales ahead of the all-important FIFA World Cup, manager Rob Page replied, "Yeah. There’s no golf. We’re out there to do a job. In the past Gareth, Kieffer Moore or Aaron Ramsey have come up to me and asked me, ‘What’s the plan for tomorrow afternoon? Are there meetings? I’d say, ‘No, there are no meetings, so if you want nine holes then go and play."

Speaking of the same, the Welsh coach added, "But that is when you have a week building up to a double-header. Out there, we won’t have enough time. Every four days there is a game. It’s relentless." Bale's love for golf is such that at one point in his Real Madrid career, he also went on to mock the club after Wales qualified for the Euro 2020 competition.

On that occasion, Bale stood behind a banner that read, "Wales. Golf. Madrid. In That Order." It is believed that the banner was a direct response to former Real Madrid star Predrag Mijatovic, who had claimed that Bale prioritizes playing for Wales and playing golf over playing for Los Blancos. With games coming thick and fast at the FIFA World Cup, it seems unlikely that the 33-year-old would have much time to play golf.

Wales' FIFA World Cup 2022 schedule