It is objectively true that Gareth Bale has had a fantastic footballing career, excelling at the very pinnacle of the game. An output of 142 goals and 70 assists in 394 league matches played is remarkable. For comparison, in nearly 50 games less, he has 17 goals more than Belgium’s Eden Hazard with slightly lower assists per 90 (Bale’s 0.21 versus Hazard’s 0.26). Add to that his otherworldly performances to carry a pedestrian Welsh team to a Euro semi-final as well as a World Cup qualification (the team's second overall and first since 1958), and it becomes clear why Gareth Bale is a legend. However, for many fans, Bale’s career never lived up to the promise he showed in his teens and early 20s. Marred by recurring injuries and tiffs with his coaches, for many, Bale leaves a bittersweet taste. While he provided many a moment to cherish and remember, on the whole, one is left wondering what could have been. Gareth Bale has scored more goals from outside the box in a single Premier League season (9) than any other player has ever managed. That 2012-13 campaign really was obscene. pic.twitter.com/y7Ctq5AMXB — Squawka (@Squawka) July 21, 2019 As Gareth Bale hangs up his boots, we take a look at the career of the Welsh icon who enchanted fans with his blistering pace and beautiful ball striking. Bursting onto the scene in England Gareth Bale was the product of the famed Southampton Academy, playing for the first team at age 16 and becoming a mainstay by his second season in 2006-07. At this time, Southampton was struggling in the Championship, English football’s second tier. While Bale, playing left back, did not help achieve promotion, in his second season, they got close, finishing sixth. Bale ended the season with five goals and eight assists, a great return for a fullback. Unfortunately for Southampton, Bale had played too well to remain in England’s second tier, earning a move to Tottenham Hotspurs for a £7 million fee. At Spurs, Bale took a couple of seasons to get settled, with injuries affecting his playing time as well. However, by his age 20 season, he began making more appearances, impressing fans and pundits alike with his affinity to run at opponents with the ball at breakneck speed, dexterous dribbling ability and powerful left foot. Due to Bale’s obvious attacking talent, as time passed, he began to be deployed further forward on the pitch. In the 2010-11 season, Bale put on some performances that would go on to define him as a player. Against then European champions Inter Milan, he scored a hattrick at San Siro as his side trailed 4-0. Spurs would go on to win the tie in the second leg, with Bale contributing with two more assists. In 2012-13, Gareth Bale arguably played the best season of his career, finishing with 21 goals in 33 league appearances. This season saw Bale do something that would break modern xG (expected goals) models – out of his 21 goals, he scored 9 from outside the box. That remains a Premier League record. After his first two seasons with the Spurs, Tottenham never finished below 5th position in the Premier League during the rest of Bale’s stay with the club. However, a bigger club beckoned. Winning everything at Real Madrid Gareth Bale signed for Real Madrid for a record fee of £85.1 million. He spent a total of eight seasons at the storied club. During that time Real won every single piece of silverware that there was to win, with Bale as a crucial member of many teams. He would finish with 81 goals and 40 assists in 176 league games, in addition to some memorable cup and Champions League performances. However, it is during his time in Real Madrid that injuries really started to take a toll, putting Bale out for long durations – Gareth Bale would play over 30 games in only one season at the club (2014-15). Plagued by injuries, Bale’s stay at Madrid was marked by both match-winning performances and long absences from the pitch. In fact, Bale himself was quoted saying, “If it wasn't for injuries, my name would be in the same debate with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.” However, before he turned 30 and lost some of his signature paces, he always performed well, especially in big games. In fact, beyond aggregate output, Gareth Bale will be most remembered for the many moments of pure footballing magic that he provided fans. A man for the big moments Wherever Bale played, he always excelled in the biggest moments. Like many legends who are fondly remembered, he had the knack for the extraordinary, often bringing cagey games to life with a romping run or a rocket shot. youtubeembedcode pl regler uno youtubeembedcode en skattefrittcasino.nu Take his goal in the 2014 goal in the Copa Del Rey final. As arch-rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona fought a competitive game where both teams denied the other a lot of chances, Bale scored arguably the best goal of his career. He received the ball in the left flank and ran past Barca defender Marc Bartra before coolly beating goalkeeper Pinto. Bartra defended with everything he got, pushing Bale outside the playing area at one moment. However, Bale displayed his raw pace to run past him and led Real Madrid to victory. After the game, a flabbergasted Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino would say, “It is difficult to see a player sprint like that at that stage of the game.” His teammate and Spanish midfield general Xabi Alonso would exclaim, “It was incredible, I have never seen anything like it.” In the 2018 Champions League final against Liverpool, Gareth Bale scored a brace that would hand Real their third consecutive Champions League title and 4th in five years. Coming on for Isco in the 60th minute, Bale entered the game when the scores were level. However, just two minutes later, he scored what is regarded by many as the greatest goal of a Champions League final. From a floating ball from Marcelo into the edge of the Liverpool box, Bale hit a bicycle kick with such power and precision that the goalkeeper had no chance. Out of nowhere, Real Madrid was ahead and as always, Gareth Bale delivered on the biggest stage. Taking Wales to unprecedented heights While Wales can boast of some incredible footballers like Ian Rush, Mark Hughes and Ryan Giggs, as a football team it had never really achieved much. After all, Wales has a small population and often, talented footballers of Welsh heritage get poached by England early on in their lives. However, Bale took the team to unparalleled heights that Wales fans could scarcely dream of. In the 2016 Euros, their first appearance in a major tournament for 58 years, Wales finished first in a group with England, Slovakia and Russia, with Bale scoring in each of the group games. This was already an achievement – Wales was not even expected to qualify from the group. However, it went on to reach the semi-finals, defeating Northern Ireland and the highly fancied Belgium on their way. Their dream run would be halted by eventual winners Portugal, but Bale and his men had made their mark. Playing with next to no world-class talent (Aaron Ramsey being an exception), Gareth Bale carried the Welsh team. The beauty of Bale’s 2016 Euros performances was that in each game, he did exactly what his team needed, scoring in all group stage games and taking a more creative role in the knockouts. The chequered last years of his career Unfortunately, like many players who start extremely young, Bale’s game began dropping off by the time he touched 30. He fell out of favour with Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane and got relegated to the bench. Many fans remember him as a pampered, overpaid footballer that he often came across as at this stage, often seen golfing with buddies even on match days. He was also judged to be “overweight” by his managers on more than one occasion. Gareth Bale retires as a football legend ❤️ pic.twitter.com/op1Hi7IKxk — GOAL (@goal) January 9, 2023 However, Bale still had the odd performance in him. He was pivotal in the Welsh side’s route to Qatar 2022, their first World Cup appearance since 1958. During the tournament, he still looked like the best player in the team, despite losing a ton of pace from his heyday. Gareth Bale's story is a tale of contrasts – from scoring worldies in the big finals to being the butt of jokes and trolling on the internet because of his weight. As he bids adieu to the game, one thing is certain: Gareth Bale is a legend of the game.
