Gareth Bale has been included in French newspaper L’Equipe’s ‘worst team of the World Cup’ following his struggles with Wales.
The former Real Madrid star netted from the penalty spot as Rob Page’s side opened their campaign with a respectable draw against United States. However, the Dragons then suffered defeats to nil against Iran and England to conclude their difficult World Cup..
Bale has been the talisman for Wales for a decade, producing 41 goals in 111 international caps and no shortage of iconic moments, but he was short of his best form in Qatar. He was joined in the XI of lowest-rated players by teammate Wayne Hennessey, the Nottingham Forest goalkeeper who was sent-off in the defeat tobyIran.
The team was decided based on L’Equipe’s notorious ratings system for each of the 64 matches in Qatar, with the players having had to have participated in a minimum of two matches. Aston Villa right-back Matty Cash was also selected in the XI after his performances with Poland.
It should be remembered that ratings may appear excessively harsh, with Cash’s Poland teammates Krystian Bielik and Piotr Zielinski also included, despite the side reaching the round of 16. The Poles fell to two-goal defeats by Argentina and France.
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Atletico Madrid’s versatile star Yannick Carrasco was selected in the left-back slot in a nod to Belgium’s poor tournament; the Red Devils exited at the group stage having finished third in the previous World Cup four-and-a-half years ago.
The lowest-rated player of the entire tournament from L’Equipe was Denmark forward Andreas Skov Olsen, who averaged a paltry grade of 2.5. The Danes – semi-finalists in the European Championship just one-and-a-half years ago – disappointingly exited at the group stage of the tournament.
Senegalese forward Krepin Diatta of Monaco was also included in the team alongside Costa Rica striker Anthony Contreras. Iran defender Hossein Kanaanizadegan was paired at the heart of the backline with Qatar's Boualem Khoukhi.
L’Equipe’s Worst Team of the World Cup: Wayne Hennessey (Wales); Matty Cash (Poland), Hossein Kanaanizadegan (Iran), Boualem Khoukhi (Qatar), Yannick Carrasco (Belgium); Andreas Skov Olsen (Denmark), Krystian Bielik, (Poland), Piotr Zielinski (Poland), Krepin Diatta (Senegal); Gareth Bale (Wales), Anthony Contreras (Costa Rica).
