Real Madrid recognise ‘true legend of our club’ as Gareth Bale retires

Bale
joined
Madrid
from
Tottenham
in
2013
and
spent
nine
years
in
Spain,
albeit
he
headed
back
to
Spurs
on
loan
in
2020-21.

The
33-year-old
won
three
LaLiga
titles,
a
Copa
dey
Rey,
five
Champions
League
titles
and
three
Club
World
Cups
in
his
time
at
the
Santiago
Bernabeu.

He
was
not
always
universally
popular
with
the
fans
despite
scoring
106
goals
in
258
games
for
the
club,
particularly
after
being
pictured
with
a
flag
while
on
international
duty
that
read:
“Wales,
golf,
Madrid.
In
that
order.”

However,
having
left
the
Spanish
capital
for
Los
Angeles
FC
in
Major
League
Soccer
in
June,
Los
Blancos
posted
a
statement
on
their
website
on
Monday
to
celebrate
their
former
forward.

“Following
Gareth
Bale’s
announcement
that
he
will
retire
from
professional
football,
Real
Madrid
C.
F.
would
like
to
express
its
gratitude,
admiration
and
affection
for
a
true
legend
of
our
club
and
the
world
game,”
it
read.

“Gareth
Bale
was
part
of
our
team
during
one
of
the
most
successful
periods
in
our
history.
He
will
long
be
remembered
for
his
involvement
in
some
of
the
most
remarkable
moments
of
the
past
decade,
including
his
unforgettable
run
in
the
2014
Copa
del
Rey
final
in
Valencia
[v
Barcelona],
his
crucial
goal
in
the
2014
Champions
League
final
in
Lisbon
[v
Atletico
Madrid],
and
his
brace
in
the
2018
Champions
League
final
in
Kyiv
[v
Liverpool],
most
notably
the
bicycle
kick
which
will
live
forever
in
the
minds
of
football
lovers
around
the
globe.

“His
name
will
be
forever
bound
to
our
club’s
history
and
its
legend.

“Good
luck,
Gareth,
and
all
the
best
to
you
and
your
family.”

Thank
you,

@GarethBale11.

pic.twitter.com/XsN1Eovhks

—
Real
Madrid
C.F.
(@realmadriden)

January
9,
2023