Euro 2016: Portugal vs Wales - 5 players to watch out for

4) Gareth Bale

Bale will look to continue his fine form

A walk in for this list, Bale has been the catalyst behind Wales’ fantastic, and completely unforeseen run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016. Before Bale’s rise to prominence, many Welsh fans had resigned themselves to the fact that John Charles and his legendary Welsh team of the fifties was a part of Welsh folklore, never to be repeated again. The likes of Ian Rush, Gary Speed and Ryan Giggs had tried and failed to make a mark with Wales on the international stage. But Bale’s advent has changed all of that, and how.

The Real Madrid winger has been in sublime form in Euro 2016, scoring 3 goals in 5 games. However, his performances cannot be measured solely on the basis of goals scored, since with his direct running at a blistering pace, Bale draws defenders towards him, and opens up acres of space for his team-mates. He is a prolific creator of chances and 4 man of the match awards in 5 matches are a testament to his absolute necessity in the Welsh setup.