Gareth Bale welcomes fourth child Xander with heartwarming announcement

Gareth Bale and wife Emma Rhys-Jones have welcomed their fourth child with a heartwarming announcement.

The couple celebrated the birth of baby boy, Xander, on the Real Madrid star's Instagram with a simple black and white shot of the newborn's feet in Bale's hands.

He said: "So happy to have welcomed a new baby boy into the world. Xander Frank Bale 07.07.21."

Bale and Rhys-Jones have been dating since the early 2000s while attending Whitchurch High School, tieing the not in 2019.

They have three children together. Alba Violet, born in 2012, their second daughter, Nava Valentina, arriving five years ago, and their first son, Axel, born in 2018.

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And now the pair now have a fourth child and a second son with the birth of Xander.

On the pitch, Bale's career remains up in the air as he is set to retire from club football - but will keep playing for Wales.

Instagram

We exclusively revealed that he was planning to hang up his club boots next summer as his Real Madrid deal expires, but could still play for his country at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

He is due to return to Madrid later this month where he has a year left on his contract worth a huge £600,000-a-week.

The 32-year-old, who spent last season on loan at Tottenham, has told friends and advisers he is not currently planning to find another club next in 12 months time when he will be a free agent.

But with the 2022 World Cup on the horizon, Bale is open to carrying on playing international football for his beloved Wales if they make it to Qatar next winter.