Queen's Birthday Honours list: Gareth Bale, Moeen Ali and Eve Muirhead among sporting stars named

Wales captain Gareth Bale, England all-rounder Moeen Ali and Olympic gold medal-winner Eve Muirhead were among those named in the Queen's Birthday Honours list on Wednesday.

Bale has been awarded an MBE for services to football and charity. The Cardiff-born forward, who is Wales' record goalscorer, won 20 trophies and scored over 100 goals for Real Madrid, including three in Champions League finals.

Bale also donated over one million euros to hospitals in Wales and Spain in April 2020 in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, and has also supported other charities in his home country.

Ali has been awarded an OBE for services to cricket, in recognition of his 16 years in the professional game including 225 appearances for his country across all formats.

Since he first represented England in 2014 as a Birmingham-born athlete of Pakistani heritage, he has been a beacon for British Asian sport, an ambassador for inclusivity in a system that has been ravaged by allegations of discrimination and a proud exponent of Muslim faith.

"It's an honour to be recognised, it's amazing and my family are really proud and happy. More than anything, I know it makes my parents happy," he said.

"It's not about runs and wickets. I think it's more about the journey I've been through and all that kind of stuff, I guess. It's my background, my upbringing and all that. All those kinds of things I've been through throughout my life.

"With the work and the stuff I've done I think it is something I'll look back on at the end of my career and think it was special, it was a great journey and really well worth it in the end."

Muirhead, who was part of Great Britain's gold medal-winning women's curling team at the Winter Games in Beijing earlier this year, was awarded an OBE.

Her team-mates Jennifer Dodds, Hailey Duff, Vicky Wright and alternate Mili Smith all received MBEs.

Liverpool midfielder James Milner also received an MBE, while former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand was awarded an OBE for services to football and charity.

Queen's Birthday Honours list

OBE

Moeen Ali, for services to cricket (Birmingham).

Richard Bevan, League Managers Association chief executive, for services to football (Hale, Cheshire).

Luther Blissett, Sporting Memories patron, for services to football and charity (Aylesbury).

Lora Fachie, MBE, for services to cycling (Altrincham).

Neil Fachie, MBE, for services to cycling (Altrincham).

Rio Ferdinand, for services to football and charity (London).

Corrine Hall, MBE, for services to cycling (Stockport).

Eve Muirhead, MBE, for services to curling (Stirling).

Sean O'Loughlin, for services to rugby league (Wigan).

Mike Summerbee, for services to football and charity (Wilmslow, Cheshire).

MBE

Gareth Bale, for services to football and charity (Cardiff).

Jennifer Dodds, for services to curling (Edinburgh).

Hailey Duff, for services to curling (Forfar).

Thomas Dyson, British Rowing Paralympic pathway chief coach, for services to Paralympic rowing (Wokingham, Berkshire).

Gary Hall, GB Taekwondo performance director, for services to Taekwondo (Altrincham).

Shirley McCay, for services to hockey and the community in Northern Ireland (Omagh, County Tyrone).

Hannah Miley, for services to swimming and Women in Sport (Blackburn).

James Milner, for services to football and charity (Mobberley, Cheshire).

David Murdoch, British Curling team head coach, for services to curling (Stirling).

Alan Rough, for services to football and charity in Scotland (Glasgow).

Georgina Seccombe (Harland), Team GB chef de mission for 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, for services to Olympic sport (Canterbury).

Mark Selby, for services to snooker and charity (Lutterworth, Leicestershire).

Neil Simpson, para alpine skier, for services to skiing (Banchory, Kincardineshire).

Andrew Simpson, para alpine skier, for services to skiing (Banchory, Kincardineshire).

Mili Smith, for services to curling (Perth).

Judd Trump, for services to snooker and charity (Bristol).

Georgina Usher, British Fencing chief executive, for services to fencing (London).

Brynmor Williams, for services to sport and charity in Wales (Cowbridge, South Glamorgan).

Vicky Wright, for services to curling (Stirling).

BEM

Kristine Green, Grimsby Town director, for services to football in north-east Lincolnshire (Grimsby).

Carol Thomas, for services to football and charity (Hull).