Teammates recall the most memorable of the forward’s 99 appearances before landmark match at home to Belarus
![‘That was the shift to superhero’: Gareth Bale as he reaches 100 Wales caps](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/007970138271993e14b4100fd55a4e6b63794528/0_49_2421_1452/master/2421.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=2dde45c8f8071ae95a24bdb8e140b90f)
Trinidad & Tobago 1-2 Wales, May 2006 (friendly). Cap: one
My first impressions were of a young, very skinny kid who was a bit shy. But you could see that smooth left foot, that speed, that composure and little flash of brilliance. As soon as he had his first touch, coming from a left-back position, he looked up and dribbled and it was almost like: ‘This is where I’m supposed to be.’ In the game he had zero fear. He ended up pulling the ball back for me for his first assist. Robert Earnshaw