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Wales boss Rob Page has warned Gareth Bale against playing golf during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The winger is famously crazy about the sport and has suffered numerous injury problems in recent years. Due to the tournament taking place during the European season, the FIFA World Cup schedule will be much more congested than usual to fit all the games in.
Bale and Co. have led Wales to their first FIFA World Cup since 1958 and have been drawn in a group alongside England, Iran and the USA. Since leaving Real Madrid in the summer after nine incredibly successful seasons, Bale has scored three times in 13 appearances for MLS side LAFC.
The forward is arguably Wales' greatest-ever player but Page has insisted that his team are in Qatar to make history, not for leisure. Page's side play all three of their FIFA World Cup group games within a nine-day period, as he explained (as per The Express):
"We had a round of golf planned. I went to the Doha club; it's run by a British lad. 'I'll book you a time.' But it gets dark at four o'clock. We looked at it, but there are other functions we might have to do, so we will probably not get the chance to do it. Yeah [I've told Bale]. There's no golf. We're out there to do a job."
"In the past, I may get Gareth, Kieffer Moore or Aaron Ramsey come up to me and say, '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.'"
Page concluded:
"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."
Gareth Bale insists he is 'not 100%' heading into FIFA World Cup
Wales will be heavily reliant on the five-time Champions League winner, who has only started twice for the MLS champions since his summer move. The forward scored a late equalizer for his new club in the MLS final on Saturday, 5 November and gave an update on his fitness after the game.
He told reporters (as per BBC Sport):
"I'm not 100% at the moment. I'm still coming back, I still have a few little issues like most people do."
He added:
"I haven't trained too much over the last three or four weeks because I've had this slight issue. But I was able to come on and give as much as I can and I'm glad I came up with the goal to help the team."
