Rob Earnshaw has settled the debate over Wales' greatest ever footballer, naming Gareth Bale ahead of Ryan Giggs. The former striker, who played alongside both stars for the national team, said Bale proved he was "unstoppable" as his career progressed.
Earnshaw's verdict on Bale and Giggs
Speaking to Wales Online in 2025, Earnshaw explained that he was long torn between the two legends but Bale's development set him apart. "I've got to say, Gareth Bale is the best Welsh player ever," he said. "For a long time, I was split because I played with Ryan Giggs too. Giggs was always legendary, always a great player for Wales, for Manchester United, great player."
He added: "It was always difficult for years to split them. But as Gareth Bale continued and continued to develop, there were two or three points where I had to turn around and I had to look at him and almost like be like, 'Wow, he's actually gone to a different level.' And there was one point where he went to world class level... he was unstoppable."
Bale's international record
Bale earned 111 caps for Wales compared to Giggs' 64. The former captain helped his country qualify for two European Championships and one World Cup. He scored three goals at Euro 2016 as Wales reached the semi-finals before losing to eventual champions Portugal. Wales again made the knockout rounds at Euro 2020, with Denmark ending their run in the round of 16.
Bale retired from football after the 2022 World Cup, where Wales exited at the group stage, officially bidding farewell in 2023. Giggs, meanwhile, spent more time in club football than with the national team, regularly withdrawing from friendly matches over injury fears.
Club success comparison
In his 2006 autobiography, the ex-winger said: "At that time, whenever I played two games in one week I always seemed to pick up an injury, so [Alex Ferguson] and I sat down and looked at it game by game. If the international was a friendly, the feeling was that I didn't have to play."
Both players were hugely successful for their clubs, winning a combined 54 trophies. Giggs collected 34 medals with Manchester United, while Bale won 20. Despite that gap, Earnshaw continues to believe Bale shines brightest as Wales' best ever player.
