Gareth Bale announced his retirement from both club and international football, bringing an end to what was a brilliant career, despite the controversies towards the end. The Welshman represented his country incredibly well through the years and took them to heights not many could have expected. On the other hand, he was a huge success in club football as well, especially with the amount of silverware he lifted at Real Madrid.
Of course, Bale’s run at Real Madrid was not always a rosy picture. After a fantastic early run in the Royal White jersey, he appeared to fade away.
Yet, what he retained was his ability to rise to the occasion. Bale scored three goals in Champions League finals. The header that put them ahead vs Atletico Madrid on their way to securing La Decima. The unforgettable bicycle kick against Liverpool, and the long-ranger in the same match which put the game beyond the Reds.
The Copa del Rey final goal against Barcelona deserves mention as well, and will be replayed for years to come. It remains Real Madrid’s last triumph in the competition.
Pep Guardiola sends brilliant message to retiring Real Madrid hero
Guardiola, currently manager of Manchester City and formerly of Barcelona, sent a brilliant message to Bale upon his retirement. As reported by Football Espana, the Spaniard said while speaking in his pre-match press conference:
"“What a player. He had a fantastic career and won a lot of things. I think he represented Wales with more than 100 caps and now he can become a fantastic golf player!”"
Of course, that seems to be a bit of a tongue-in-cheek comment from Guardiola about Bale’s famous love for the sport of golf.
At the end of the day, there were both good moments and bad, for Bale at Real Madrid. One should only reflect on the good times on occasions like these though and there is no denying that the Welshman will go down in the record books as one of the most important players in the history of the club.