Defeat for Israel against Cyprus meant that they cannot catch Wales

Chris Coleman did not know his side had made it to France at full-time

Wales lost 2-0 to Bosnia on Saturday but still qualified for Euro 2016

Wales tasted defeat for the first time on the road to Euro 2016 in Bosnia on Saturday night, but the confirmation of a dream ticket to France had talisman Gareth Bale calling it 'the best loss of my life'.

The Red Dragons went down 2-0 to second-half goals from Milan Djuric and Vedad Ibisevic in Zenica but defeat for Israel elsewhere confirmed their place in a first major tournament in 58 years.

And Real Madrid star Bale, so familiar with success at club level but starved on the international scene, picked out qualifying as a career highlight during wild celebrations at the Stadion Bilino Polje.

Wales were beaten 2-0 by Bosnia on Saturday night but they still secured qualification for Euro 2016

Gareth Bale and his team-mates celebrated wildly at the Stadion Bilino Polje after reaching their first finals

The Real Madrid star hailed the game as 'the best loss of my life' and saw qualifying as a career highlight

The Welsh players and manager Chris Coleman saluted their 600 travelling supporters in a small corner of the ground at full-time before the party continued with beers in the dressing room.

'(This is) probably the best loss of my life to be honest,' Bale said. 'It was a difficult game but at the end of the day what matters is qualifying and we've done it so everyone's very happy.

'It was one of my dreams to do and growing up as a young boy everyone dreams of playing in a major tournament, to achieve it here now is a dream come true. It doesn't stop here. We've got to go and try to do some business in France.'

Bale has scored six goals and laid on two more for his team-mate in the qualifying campaign to drag Wales forward, while a backline that conceded just four goals in nine games provided the platform.

Against Bosnia, they looked more nervy, but with Cyprus springing a surprise on Israel in Jerusalem, Wales can go into Tuesday's dead-rubber against Andorra in Cardiff in the mood to celebrate.

'Now we can breathe a sigh of relief and go and enjoy the occasion and get ready for France,' Bale added. 'We've all fought deep and hard in qualification and this is what happens when you do that.

Jonathan Williams and Gareth Bale conduct the singing of 600 travelling Wales fans in Zenica on Saturday

The Wales squad, heading for a first major tournament in 58 years pose for a photo out on the pitch

'It's nice to be able to test ourselves in the biggest tournament in the world and we'll do that.'

Coleman, the first Wales manager to qualify for a European Championship finals, confirmed that he did not know his team had qualified when referee Alberto Mallenco blew the final whistle in Zenica.

There was an initial period of confusion before news filtered through from Jerusalem that then-third-placed Israel had been defeated to seal a top-two place for the Welsh.

'I don't think we deserved to lose the game as Bosnia were getting frustrated and we didn't make the most of the good situations we got into,' Coleman said.

Chris Coleman joined the celebrations at full-time but initially he was unaware that his team had qualified

'When I was walking off I saw our supporters were singing and our secretary, Mark Evans, whispered in my ear that Israel had lost.

'So I was all smiles and I can't honestly describe how I am feeling, it probably won't sink in for a few days.

'But it is an absolute dream. We've waited so long for this and, for me not, just as a manager or as a player.

Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey spoke of his pride in a 'special' group of players after reaching France 2016

'I saw it so many times as a kid as well. We've missed out so many times, so to finally do it is an unbelievable feeling.'