Wales Captain Gareth Bale retires

Duncan Frost Contributor

After a career spanning 16 years, Gareth Bale has retired at the age of 33 leaving the game as a legend and one of, if not the best ever Welsh player. The Wales captain released a statement regarding his decision to retire saying it was “by far the hardest of my career” and paid tribute to those who had helped and supported him along the way.

He also posted a separate statement to his “Welsh family” saying that representing Wales on the international stage has given him “something incomparable to anything else I’ve experienced”, thanking everyone for “being on this journey” with him.

Bale’s decision comes after an incredible career across four clubs and three leagues, winning countless club and personal accolades. He began playing at Southampton where he broke through and earned himself a move to Tottenham, initially as an attacking fullback, but eventually was moved forward to play on the wing. He was unplayable at times during his first stint in London, with his athleticism, direct and pacy dribbling, and powerful shooting ability, winning the Premier League player of the season alongside his second PFA Player’s Player of the season in 2013.

His international career has been arguably the most influential aspect of his football, embodying Welsh football since his debut aged 16 in 2006.

Bale became the world’s most expensive footballer when he moved to Real Madrid in 2013 for £85m and over the next nine years of his career he would go on to win a staggering five Champions League’s and three Spanish League titles. Whilst at Madrid, Bale scored over 100 goals, including an overhead kick against Liverpool which will be remembered as one of the best Champions League Final goals. Many of the grievances with the notorious Real Madrid fans will be left in the past with Bale going down as one of a handful of Madrid players to be as successful with the club as him, with only Paco Gento winning more Champion’s League titles.

Bale’s final few years of club football saw him return to London for a year with Tottenham Hotspur on loan before spending his final season at LAFC, where he scored another clinching goal to equalise in the last minute of extra time in the MLS Cup before going on to win it.

His international career has been arguably the most influential aspect of his football, embodying Welsh football since his debut aged 16 in 2006 and ending as his country’s top male goal scorer and appearance maker with 44 in 111 respectively.

He took Wales to their first major tournament in 58 years at Euro 2016 as they reached a historic semi-final, captained Wales to qualification for Euro 2020, and again for their first World Cup in 64 years. It was fitting his final international goal was Wales’ only goal in this tournament.

Few can look back at such an illustrious career as Gareth Bale can, having