Gareth Bale scored stunning free-kick for Wales vs Austria in World Cup play-off

The 2021/22 season has been a real struggle for Gareth Bale at Real Madrid.

He’s barely played any football at all after impressing in fits and bursts at Tottenham Hotspur last campaign.

But while Bale isn’t trusted at all by Carlo Ancelotti and his staff, the ponytailed forward is still Wales’ main man.

And he showed exactly why that remains the case on Thursday evening.

In Wales’ much-anticipated World Cup play-off semi-final against Austria, Bale sparked scenes of pandemonium in Cardiff with a truly outstanding free-kick in the first half.

From around 25 yards out, the left-footed genius took aim and rifled the ball into the top corner using the famous knuckleball technique.

It really was pure perfection from Bale and you can enjoy the free-kick in all of its glory in the video below.

THAT. IS. SENSATIONAL.