Gareth McAuley’s mood turned from disappointment to anger when he was selected for a random drugs test after scoring the own goal which saw Northern Ireland eliminated from Euro 2016 by Wales on Saturday.

The West Brom defender, 36, turned Gareth Bale’s 75th-minute cross into his own net before it could reach Hal Robson-Kanu to ensure Wales made it through to the last eight in France in their first major tournament in 58 years.

McAuley looked crestfallen when he was withdrawn six minutes from time, his team-mates not knowing what to say when he sat down on the bench, but his sadness was soon replaced by rage when he discovered he could not thank the Northern Irish support in the Parc des Princes because he was due for a drugs test.

“It’s difficult tonight but I’ve enjoyed it,” he said of the tournament.

“I would have been worse if I hadn’t been dragged in for a drugs test. I went from being emotional to angry straightaway because I wasn’t able to go out on to the pitch – and that is sad really.

“But there are a lot of lads in there devastated. I was disappointed and angry not to be able to join the rest of the lads but that’s the rules and I was selected to do the test. But it did make me angry.

“I would have liked to have thanked the fans for everything but that’s sod’s law.”