Gareth Bale’s Unforgettable Solo Goal Against Iceland Reexamined

Gareth Bale concluded his 17-year playing career in 2023, having netted 41 goals for Wales and 186 in club competitions. Ahead of the upcoming Nations League match between Wales and Iceland at Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday, 19 November, with a 19:45 GMT kick-off, coverage will be available live on S4C, BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru, and via live text and commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. Among Gareth Bale’s numerous significant and exceptional goals in Welsh football history, one particular strike, considered by some to be his most spectacular, is thought to be underappreciated. This lack of recognition might stem from the goal occurring during a friendly match in a sparsely attended stadium, a setting perhaps deemed unsuitable for the then-Real Madrid player who would later become Wales’ top male goalscorer. Alternatively, its prominence may be diminished by a remarkably similar goal he scored a month later in a Copa Del Rey final against Barcelona. Nevertheless, for those who witnessed Wales’ 3-1 victory over Iceland in 2014, Bale’s moment of brilliance, the highlight of an exceptional individual display, remains a lasting memory. After gaining possession deep within his own half, Bale surged past Iceland’s defenders, even being momentarily forced off the field by a desperate tackler, before penetrating the penalty area and striking the ball into the bottom corner. Despite only 13,219 spectators being present at Cardiff City Stadium, the goal represented a moment of lasting quality, foreshadowing the successful period that was about to unfold for Welsh football. Ten years later, with Iceland scheduled to visit Cardiff again on Tuesday for the first time since that match, BBC Sport Wales revisits Bale’s extraordinary goal with individuals who were present. Wales, having not qualified for a major tournament since the 1958 World Cup, was experiencing a prolonged period without success, though there was a growing belief that this drought was nearing its conclusion. This optimism was primarily fueled by an emerging group of talented players, including Aaron Ramsey, Joe Allen, and Ashley Williams, with Bale leading the charge. Despite this widespread optimism, some observers remained unconvinced. Sam Vokes, who played as a forward for Wales in that match, remarked, “I always think of the empty stands at Cardiff City Stadium, which you don’t really see anymore.” He added, “So it kind of shows where we were at the time, but things were growing. The Iceland game was one that started to get us back on track, going into Euro 2016 qualification.” Danny Gabbidon, earning his 48th and second-to-last cap in defence, further commented: “We were thinking what the potential of this team could be, how we could get to a level where we’re qualifying for a major tournament.” He continued, “At that point Gaz was just unplayable. You watch a montage of his goals and there’s every type of goal you could think of. He could head the ball, he could dribble, he could shoot from distance, he could assist. He could do everything.” In 2013, Real Madrid acquired Gareth Bale from Tottenham for a then-world-record transfer fee of £85m. Bale’s mere presence in the squad was significant. Despite having participated in an intense Madrid derby only three days prior, he started the friendly match, defying expectations of a brief appearance. Gabbidon stated, “It was labelled against Ryan Giggs that he was really good for Manchester United and in a Wales shirt he wouldn’t show up, miss friendlies and stuff, but you never got that with Gaz.” He added, “He was so driven and focused, not just for club but for country as well. At that point he was just running games on his own.” Bale initiated the first goal in the 12th minute, delivering a free-kick from the right that curved precisely for James Collins to head into the net. Vokes recalled, “I think we were all queueing up for that cross. I was by James Collins ready to tap in if he didn’t,” noting that his own opportunity soon followed. Iceland leveled the score later in the first half when Williams inadvertently directed Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s shot into his own goal, but Wales regained the lead after halftime, with Bale central to the action. Receiving the ball on the right flank, Bale faked an inward turn, then accelerated past Ari Skulason before striking the ball with the outside of his left foot. A remarkable goal-line block by Kari Arnason prevented Bale from scoring an excellent solo effort, but the rebound fell to Vokes, who headed it in. Vokes recounted with a smile, “I just had to finish it from a yard out.” He added, “I don’t know what you do as a defender. There was no stopping him at that point.” From his perspective as a centre-back, Gabbidon possessed a clearer understanding of the challenges faced by Iceland’s defenders. He stated, “I felt sorry for some of the teams that were coming up against him because he was just unplayable.” Gabbidon continued, “He had that hunger about him as well. Sometimes you see players love playing for their clubs and, for their countries, they maybe play a gear down.” He concluded, “But Gaz wasn’t like that. It was the same in a Welsh shirt, and there were quite a few games around that period, not just the Iceland one. We were almost like a one-man team.” Gareth Bale ultimately earned 111 caps for Wales, registering 41 goals. The sole omission from Bale’s impressive performance was a goal of his own, which he spectacularly delivered in the 70th minute. When Bale received the ball deep in his own half near the right touchline, with seemingly few options, Solvi Ottesen advanced to challenge him. Bale pushed the ball past the Icelandic substitute and, in a desperate, cynical effort to halt the Real Madrid player before he reached the halfway line, Ottesen attempted to grab him by the neck, forcing him off the field. However, due to Bale’s strength and speed, he dislodged the Icelandic defender, maintained his balance, and quickly re-entered the field to retrieve the ball. Gabbidon recalled, “I remember watching him take off and, as soon as he went past the Iceland defender, it was inevitable. I knew what was going to happen.” He added, “He was still 80 or 90 yards from goal but I was thinking ‘this is a goal’. That’s how good he was. Trying to defend against that is pretty much impossible.” Bale continued his powerful run, advancing deliberately into the Iceland penalty area, where Arnason awaited. Arnason initially retreated cautiously, and by the time the centre-back lunged for the ball, Bale had already unleashed a low, left-footed shot into the bottom far corner. Gudmundsson remarked, “It was unbelievable.” He continued, “Our defender tried to tackle him but he ran off the pitch and still got the ball. He was a fantastic player.” Ben Davies, who will captain Wales against Iceland on Tuesday, was on the bench as a late substitute when Bale scored that particular goal. Davies stated, “That’s pretty much all I remember of that game. That night, Gareth was on fire.” He added, “That at the time seemed to be a trademark goal of his, that he was able to skip past players so easily and be so calm in the box as well. I don’t remember too much from that game but I most certainly remember Gaz’s goal.” Few footballers possess a personal collection of goals as remarkable as Bale’s. From his astonishing bicycle kick for Real Madrid in their 2018 Champions League final victory against Liverpool, to his powerful long-range strike for Wales versus Scotland – alongside the numerous incredible solo goals he repeatedly produced for Tottenham – it is challenging to even list his best goals, let alone select a single one. The friendly match against Iceland was a less prominent fixture, but in terms of sheer quality and ingenuity, Bale’s goal on that occasion is hard to surpass. Vokes commented, “It’s right up there.” He continued, “If you don’t compare it to a qualifier or big club game, as a technical goal in itself, we stood back and just thought ‘wow’.” He concluded, “Then he did it against Barcelona and mirrored it. Amazing.” Gabbidon suggests that the goal against Barcelona, scored just a month later, in which Bale replicated his move against Ottesen on Marc Bartra, is partly responsible for his remarkably similar goal against Iceland being overlooked. He remarked, “It doesn’t get spoken about enough. It’s overshadowed by the Barcelona goal but this one is very similar, and just as good.” He added, “I’d like to see them both played simultaneously together because they’re so similar, just on opposite sides of the pitch. It’s a ridiculous goal. Not many people in world football could score that type of goal.” He concluded, “You could ask Wales fans for their favourite Bale goal and I reckon most would go for ones that have meant more, to qualify for tournaments and things like that.” He then asserted, “But you will not see a better goal scored.”