China 0-6 Wales: Gareth Bale surpasses Ian Rush to become all-time top goalscorer with hat-trick as the Ryan Giggs era gets off to a winning start
Bale told BBC Sport after the match: 'It's amazing - and on my daughter's birthday as well.
'It's great to get the record but the most important thing is that the team plays well.
'It's a major honour and a massive achievement. I never dreamed of being a record-breaker for Wales. It's an incredible honour and one of the best things I have achieved in my career.'
In this form, it was difficult not to imagine what might have been had Bale been fit to face the Republic of Ireland in that fateful World Cup qualifier last October.
So much for jetlag, Bale was jet-heeled and far too much for a Chinese side performing much worse than their world ranking of 65. No wonder he took three planes to face the hosts in time.
Giggs enjoyed some titanic tussles with Marcello Lippi when the China manager was in charge of Juventus. But this was a serious mismatch and the perfect possible start for Giggs as national team boss.
- Real Madrid's Gareth Bale put Wales in front within the first two minutes before doubling it in the 21st minute
Sam Vokes scored a third for visitors before Harry Wilson makes it 4-0 on stroke of half-time with a fine finish
Bale completed hat-trick in second half to become Wales' all-time top scorer with 29 goals, beating Ian Rush
Bale told BBC Sport after the match: 'It's amazing - and on my daughter's birthday as well.
'It's great to get the record but the most important thing is that the team plays well.
'It's a major honour and a massive achievement. I never dreamed of being a record-breaker for Wales. It's an incredible honour and one of the best things I have achieved in my career.'
In this form, it was difficult not to imagine what might have been had Bale been fit to face the Republic of Ireland in that fateful World Cup qualifier last October.
So much for jetlag, Bale was jet-heeled and far too much for a Chinese side performing much worse than their world ranking of 65. No wonder he took three planes to face the hosts in time.
Giggs enjoyed some titanic tussles with Marcello Lippi when the China manager was in charge of Juventus. But this was a serious mismatch and the perfect possible start for Giggs as national team boss.
