Viva Bale. The song with which Wales fans serenade their captain includes a line about how he feigned a back injury to avoid being called up to Team Great Britain for the 2012 Olympics.
It was the same part of Bale's body that was blamed for his absence from Real Madrid's squad for last Sunday's defeat against Barcelona.
This was the latest in a long line of injuries which have hampered Bale's time in Spain and, for the country's football media, the latest betrayal.
Bale may have won a lot of silverware with Real but, according to some in Spain, his lack of action for his club makes him a parasite.
The front-page headline of the Spanish newspaper was sarcastic when he was pictured smiling while training with Wales this week.
Bale has played two hours of football in six months for Real and made just two appearances since the last international window in November but, on Thursday, he was Wales' salvation once more.
It was written. In the World Cup play-off semi-final at home to Austria, Bale scored two magnificent goals to inspire a 2-1 victory and burnish his legend.
The crowd at the packed and emotional Cardiff City Stadium was in awe of his first free-kick. The goal was matched by his celebration, roar and grab of his Wales Badge.
Is there more to his joy than a television camera? There was a message for his critics in Spain.
He told Sky Sports that he didn't need to say anything.
He added that it was disgusting. They should be ashamed of themselves. I am fine.
If I am able to play, I can hit a free-kick. It was nice to see it come in.
Wales fans did not need to remind Bale of his propensity for outrageous, match-changing moments if he had become rare in a Real Madrid shirt.
This may have been his first international goal since Euro 2016 but it was his 37th for Wales in total, extending his record as his country's all-time leading scorer in men's football.
Bale added a stunning second, taking the ball in his stride and unleashing a powerful strike into the far corner, just to emphasize the fact that he is still capable of greatness.
It was bedlam in the Canton Stand, a riot of red shirts and bucket hats and a rendition of Don't Take Me Home, the anthem of Wales.
Wales had been absent from major tournaments for 58 years until they qualified for that tournament.
Robert Page's men are one win away from qualification for the World Cup after their victory over Austria in the Euro 2020 knockout stages.
I don't think it has sunk in yet. Page said what a game, what a night, what an occasion.
I told the star man that he was the best free-kick I had ever seen.
He hasn't played many minutes but he has been training. He would play 90 minutes. Probably not.
We knew we would get an outstanding hour out of him. We take him off in the end.
The play-off final is likely to be in June.
Bale said at the beginning of this campaign that it might be his last chance to qualify for a World Cup, and that doing so would be an achievement to rank alongside his many illustrious club feats.
He is only one game away.
Bale said that half the job had been done.
We will have fun tonight. We will be ready for the next game against either Scotland or Ukraine.
He can't produce more magic to take Wales to the World Cup. A bad back can't stop him.
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