Wales vs Belgium: Gareth Bale calls Euro 2016 quarter-final Wales’ biggest game since Pele and Brazil in 1958 World Cup
'It's definitely the biggest game in Welsh football since then,' a defiant Bale said in his press briefing ahead of Friday's clash
GARETH BALE has called Wales' Euro 2016 quarter-final against Belgium on Friday the Dragons' biggest match in 58 years.
Wales had reached the final eight of the World Cup in Sweden back in 1958, in their previous appearance at a major tournament.
It was in that match that a 17-year-old Pele scored the only goal of the game for the eventual tournament winners Brazil.
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Bale said in his press briefing today: "We know about the quarter-final in 1958 but since then it's definitely the biggest game in Welsh football. This is our time to shine. We're the only home nation left in the competition, which is an amazing achievement in itself."
Wales defeated Friday's opponents, Belgium, 1-0 in a Euro 2016 qualifying match back in June 2015, and Bale, who scored the winning goal in that game, says the Dragons have gone up "another level" since then.
Bale said: "From that night, we have gone up to another level. We've taken our game on with playing more games in our system, gelling even more. It was a changing moment for us.
"It was my most important Welsh goal, especially at the time of qualifying.
"It was an important goal for me personally on my 50th cap and for the team. It also gave us that belief that we can take on and beat the big teams."
