George Mathias
GARETH BALE’S nine year stint in Spain has come to an end.
The Welshman bade farewell to Real Madrid after notching up 258 appearances in almost a decade, saying: “To be a part of this club’s history and to achieve what we achieved while I was a Madrid player has been an incredible experience and one I will never forget.”
Bale became the first player in British history to win five Champions League titles on Saturday when Real Madrid beat Liverpool 1-0 in the final at the Stade de France.
He also won three La Liga titles in his time in the capital, making him one of the most decorated British footballers of the decade.
While his arrival in 2013 saw him become a regular starter in his first few seasons, he fell out of favour of successive managers in his later years and fans of Los Blancos were known to be rather hostile towards him.
Accusations that he preferred playing golf in the sun than pulling on the white jersey were frequently levelled at him.
It is not clear what will be next for the €100 million man, who returned on loan to Tottenham Hotspur in the 2020-2021 Premier League season.
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