So much for being a “parasite” who has been sucking blood “without giving anything in return.”
Gareth Bale is still world-class. And when everything else has deserted him, that greatness will still be there – because form is temporary but class is permanent. After Bale's mind-blowing free-kick and stunning finish in the World Cup play-off against Austria, a nation can dare to dream again.
But above all, it was a stunning answer to a Spanish publication's low blows, cheap-shot insults and outrageous mock-up of the Wales captain as a blood-sucking mosquito. Bale has won 14 trophies at Real Madrid and now he is 90 minutes from leading his country to their first World Cup finals for 64 years.
Give him the credit he deserves. Show the man some respect. Time and again, Bale has saved his best for the big occasion.
Think of Euro 2016, when Wales made it all the way to the semi-finals after being as low as No.117 in the FIFA rankings only five years earlier. Think of the 2018 Champions League final, and that fabulous overhead kick against Liverpool. Think of Baku last summer, where he turned on the magic against Turkey.
Thursday night's masterclass at the Cardiff City Stadium was up there with all of them.
Asked if his celebrations had sent a message to his most vocal critics in Madrid, Bale replied: "No - I don't need to send a message, honestly. It's a waste of my time, it's just disgusting. They should also be ashamed of themselves. I'm not fussed." Well, I'll say it for him – and the message is: He's not finished yet.
The best free-kick I've ever seen was by Brazil's Roberto Carlos against France at Le Tournoi in 1997, a set piece which really made us believe you could bend a football round corners. But Bale's show-stopper against Austria belongs in the same company as Cristiano Ronaldo's big dipper for Manchester United against Portsmouth 14 years ago.
The geometry of his execution was sheer perfection: Up, over the wall, dipping at the last moment and grazing the underside of the bar on its way past startled Austrian keeper Heinz Lindner. No wonder Bale gave the crossbar a friendly rub on Wales' lap of honour. Only magicians can release the genie from the bottle with such power and precision.
My sparring partner on Six-0-Six, Chris Sutton, reckons Bale isn't world-class any more. Sorry, Chris, but once you're world-class, you stay world-class. Bale has won more trophies at Real Madrid than Zinedine Zidane and he has lifted a nation up by its bootlaces.
There are other heroes who have taken Wales to the gates of Qatar 2022, notably manager Robert Page, who has done an outstanding job with brave team selection and rekindling the dragon's fire. Aaron Ramsey's quality, Daniel James' pace, Joe Rodon's temperament under siege, Ben Davies' know-how... the list goes on and on.
Page is now reaping the benefit of a bigger pool of Welsh talent at Premier League clubs and it showed with a mature, committed performance against Austria. But for inspiration, you can't look past Bale. On massive nights for his country, he never lets anyone down.
His dream has always been to lead Wales to the World Cup finals, and the dream is still on. He has proved, time and again, that he is a world-class act who deserves only respect, not the poison tossed at him by critics in Spain who have been made to look foolish.
As one inspired Wales fan put it on Twitter: Thank God @GarethBale11 chose to play for Wales and not his home planet of Krypton.
