Gareth Bale insists Wales can make the last four of Euro 2016 by underlining how they have become a “bogey team” for Belgium.
The Wales talisman at the tournament believes the two favourable results achieved against their quarter-final opponents in qualifying – when Wales took four points off the Belgians – have planted seeds of doubt.
“We’re like their bogey team, aren’t we?” Bale said ahead of the sides’ clash in Lille on Friday.
“Hopefully that edge gets into their heads – you never know. We will definitely draw on those qualifiers, it gives us more knowledge on them.
“We know how to play against them and how they play. We know it will be a different game from the qualifiers and it is a more pressurised situation.
“But we understand what they are about, how they work, and we will hone our game plan to try and stop them but help our attack.
“The win in Cardiff was three points that we didn’t expect. Well, maybe two points that we didn’t expect. Belgium were ranked second in the world at the time and were top seeds in the group.
“After that there was a sort of snowball effect. We qualified in style in the end, and now here we are facing them in a quarter-final. We have reasons to be confident.”
Bale, who tasted Champions League success with Real Madrid in May, says Wales are determined to prolong their stay in France and have a real crack at winning the competition.
We have done well and the country is proud of us even if we do get knocked out,” he added.
“But we want to keep going, we want to keep riding this wave. We want to go as far as we can and try to win the tournament.
“We understand the position we are in and everything else goes to the back of our mind.
“It is all about trying to beat Belgium and getting to the semis.”
Bale has so far scored three times at Euro 2016 and also provided the cross that saw Northern Ireland defender Gareth McAuley divert the ball into his own net during their last-16 meeting at the Parc des Princes.
The clash against Belgium will see Bale pitted against Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard, but the Wales forward was quick to dismiss the importance of this individual duel.
“A lot of people will speak about things like that, but I am sure he would think the same as me – this is about Wales versus Belgium, not me up against him,” he said.
“There are 11 players on the field and it does not matter if he or I score, it is about which team wins.
“One player does not make a team, it will be 11 v 11 and we will be going out to win the game.
“I don’t think everyone is looking to us, we just work hard for the team. If the team plays well then the players are playing well.
“It is a tale of two teams who are very good teams, because you don’t get to the quarter-finals by accident.”
In contrast to England’s grim-faced participation in the tournament, Wales – says Bale – are still finding the whole thing a joy, rather than an ordeal.
“It’s just like being with your mates on holiday. Even at this stage in the tournament, in fact especially at this stage of the tournament, we are all happy to be here.
“That’s because we all get on well together. We fill our spare time with quizzes, golf or watching other matches on the television, and because we are basically all mates we have a good time.”