Euro 2016

Gareth Bale: 'Wales not a one-man team'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 09 June 2016

Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale insists that Wales are not a one-man team, despite having directly contributed to nine of their 11 qualifying goals for Euro 2016.

Wales winger Gareth Bale has insisted that his side are not a one-man team ahead of Euro 2016.

Bale played a major role in helping his country to their first international tournament for 58 years, scoring seven and assisting a further two of Wales's 11 goals in qualifying.

The Real Madrid man is the star attraction of Chris Coleman's squad by some distance, but he shrugged off suggestions that the team's success relied on his own performances.

"It's never a one-man team, for us it's a squad thing. We're together stronger and it's there for a reason - we don't just say it for no reason. We all work hard as one unit, we attack as one and we defend as one. When we lose the ball we all fight back to get it," he told reporters.

"People can write what they want, but we all know that we work very hard on the training pitch every day. I just want to go out and play football, to enjoy myself on the football pitch. We all get on so well, we are like brothers.

"We are all friends and we joke around and play together. But when it comes down to serious business we fight for each other. We have fun at the same time. We want to enjoy it and when you enjoy your football you play your best."

Wales will take on Slovakia in their opening Group B match on Saturday before facing England and Russia.