Gareth Bale

Former Wales, Tottenham and Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 33.

Bale has not announced what his next plans are: "I move on with anticipation to the next stage of my life," he wrote in his retirement statement. "So for now I am stepping back, but not away from the team that lives in me and runs through my veins," he added. He captained the team into that competition and, in announcing his retirement, [issued a separate statement](https://twitter.com/GarethBale11/status/1612467320181477378) addressed to his "Welsh family." "My journey on the international stage is one that has changed not only my life but who I am," Bale wrote. At club level, Bale started his professional career at Southampton, and his form there earned him a move to Tottenham in May 2007. The highest of highs over 17 seasons, that will be impossible to replicate, no matter what the next chapter has in store for me."

The five-times Champions League winner has called time on his career weeks after captaining Wales at their first World Cup since 1958.

Bale was once the world's most expensive player when he joined Real Madrid for $190 million in 2013 and, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, was a devastating forward ...

How do I put in to words the way I felt, every single time I put on that Welsh shirt?" While celebrating a win that qualified his country for the 2020 European Championship, Bale held up a Welsh flag with the words "Wales. "How do I describe what being a part of this country and team means to me? In That Order" written on it. How do I articulate the impact it has had on my life? France coach Didier Deschamps paid tribute to "a great servant of the French team" and a "remarkable human being" who decided to retire "at the top of his game." "To have been the goalkeeper of the French team for 14 and a half seasons is strong, but it is also mentally exhausting," Lloris said. "He was captain when I became coach in 2012, I kept the armband for him and I have never regretted it," Deschamps said in a statement. "In the next four or five months, with Tottenham, I want to live strong things, to finish in the top four of the Premier League, to do something strong in the Champions League, in the FA Cup too." "I am honored and humbled to have been able to play a part in the history of this incredible country, to have felt the support and passion of the red wall, and together have been to unexpected and amazing places." "Gareth Bale has been part of our team in one of the most successful stages in our history and forever represents many of the brightest moments of the last decade," the Spanish club said. Gareth Bale announced his retirement from football at the age of 33, ending the career of one of Britain's greatest players after winning five Champions League titles and finally getting to play in a World Cup for Wales.

Gareth Bale decided to retire from club and international football at the age of 33, but why did he call time on his career relatively young?

"So, I move on with anticipation to the next stage of my life. It was an honor to have one of the most talented, dynamic and exciting players of his generation finish his career with a title for LAFC." "My wife and my children, your love and support has carried me through. "To show my gratitude to all of those that have played their part along this journey, feels like an impossibility. "To my previous clubs, Southampton, Tottenham, Real Madrid and finally LAFC. Right beside me for all the highs and lows, keeping me grounded along the way. Bale had helped LAFC claim the MLS Cup last season, with his last touch of the ball at club level being a thundering header that sent the finale against the Philadelphia Union to a penalty shootout. In his statement, he indicated that his retirement from playing offered "an opportunity for a new adventure", but it remains unclear what exactly that will be. The highest of highs over 17 seasons, that will be impossible to replicate, no matter what the next chapter has in store for me. Playing for and captaining my country 111 times has truly been a dream come true. It was somewhat surprising, given Bale's age and the fact that he had only recently embarked on a new adventure in Major League Soccer with Los Angeles FC, but it was half-expected, too. "I'll keep going as long as I can and as long as I'm wanted," he said at the time.

After playing in his first World Cup in Qatar, Wales great Gareth Bale has called time on both his club and international career.

Gareth Bale of Wales leads the applause for the fans after the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between Wales and England at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on ...

"So, I move on with anticipation to the next stage of my life. "My wife and my children, your love and support has carried me through. "I feel incredibly fortunate to have realised my dream of playing the sport I love.

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has left hospital in Cincinnati and returned to his home state for further treatment after he went into cardiac arrest on the ...

Sinai said most of its outpatient appointments and procedures were going forward as scheduled. By Kelsie Iorio

The Wales forward has retired with a glittering CV but it was his breathtaking style which set him apart from the rest.

And perhaps it was inevitable that for a player who played to feel, who specialised in crafting moments of perfection and wonder, the half-cocked, pedalled-down extended dotage was never going to suit him. And to think this was once a skinny £5m left-back who failed to win any of his first 24 games for the club and was initially kept out of the side by Benoît Assou-Ekotto. In spirit and attitude Wales is Bale’s team, and here again Bale departs having bequeathed a clutch of match-winning, heart-stopping memories. [Southampton](https://www.theguardian.com/football/southampton) gave him a start and Tottenham catapulted him to stardom, then it was in Wales red that he went on the greatest journey of all. [Bale signed for a world-record fee](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/sep/01/gareth-bale-real-madrid-transfer-tottenham), won everything there was to win and yet somehow lost something of himself too. What was the point in taking a free-kick unless you were going to leather it into the top corner? [2018 Champions League final](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/may/26/real-madrid-liverpool-champions-league-final-match-report) is probably his best-remembered goal. In so doing he single-handedly dragged a squad containing Steven Caulker, Kyle Naughton and Lewis Holtby to the verge of the Champions League. What was the point in running unless you were going to do it as jaw-droppingly fast as possible? Most Madrid players either got this and devoted themselves to a life of service (Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, Ángel Di María), or they left. Watch back some of his greatest goals and you can almost glimpse the school tie flapping behind him as he runs, a battered sponge ball sticking to his feet, the cautious teacher carrying a tray of orange squash across the penalty area. In hindsight, Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013 was simply too good and too brash to be surpassed or outdone.

Gareth Bale has announced his retirement from football after a glittering career with clubs including Real Madrid and more than 100 appearances for Wales.

“It’s a nice getaway from the hectic life of a professional footballer.” [stinging criticism in Spain](https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2019/nov/20/gareth-bale-and-that-wales-golf-madrid-flag-real-are-not-amused) for celebrating Wales’s qualification for Euro 2020 by cavorting with a flag that read: “Wales. “A time of change and transition, an opportunity for a new adventure.” “I am stepping back, but not away from the team that lives in me and runs through my veins,” Bale said. [Champions League final in 2018](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/may/26/real-madrid-liverpool-champions-league-final-match-report), the first of his two goals in Kyiv, influential in recording victory. His match-winning goal against Barcelona in the [2014 Copa del Rey final](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/apr/16/real-madrid-v-barcelona-copa-del-rey-final-live) brought similar acclaim. “After all, the dragon on my shirt is all I need.” “I don’t think it will be the last time you see Gareth in a Wales jersey,” Page said. In November 2021 Bale won his 100th Wales cap at home against Belarus, three years after eclipsing Ian Rush’s goalscoring record by scoring a hat-trick in China. “My journey on the international stage is one that has changed not only my life but who I am.” “I feel incredibly fortunate to have achieved my dream of playing the sport I love. Afterwards Rob Page, the Wales manager, was confident Bale would stay true to his word.

The former Tottenham and Real Madrid winger remains a legend of the national team, having guided Wales to two European Championships and its first FIFA ...

It has truly given me some of the best moments of my life. “After careful and thoughtful consideration, I announce my immediate retirement from club and international football,” Bale said on Twitter. Bale played a Wales record of 111 games for his country and was a five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has thanked Gareth Bale for the “unforgettable” memories he has left behind after heading into retirement.

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, his crucial goal in the 2014 Champions League final in Lisbon, and his brace in the 2018 Champions League final in Kiev, most notably the bicycle kick which will live forever in the minds of football lovers around the globe. On an individual level, he was named Best Player of the 2018 Champions League final and got his hands on the Golden Ball at the Club World Cup the same year. [European hat-trick for Spurs against Inter](https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/watch-tottenham-gareth-bale-tore-maicon-inter-to-shreds-champions-league/bltba5001e53fdf437a) and a Champions League final bicycle kick goal for Real – with Ancelotti looking back fondly on his time spent working with the Welshman at Santiago Bernabeu. [made history during his time in Spain](https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/real-madrid-add-bale-to-official-legends-list-despite-criticism-of-welsh-forward-during-his-time-in-spain/blt0d75c2f271e087cf), saying in a statement on the club’s [official website](https://www.realmadrid.com/en/news/2023/01/09/official-announcement-gareth-bale-farewell?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=organico): “Following Gareth Bale's announcement that he will retire from professional football, Real Madrid C. [hanging up his boots with immediate effect at the age of 33](https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/gareth-bale-announces-retirement-football-aged-33/blt124a5cd9f1b83732). would like to express its gratitude, admiration and affection for a true legend of our club and the world game.

Wales captain Gareth Bale announced his retirement from football on January 9, 2023 at the age of 33. The former Tottenham and Real Madrid forward called ...

Rob Page’s team could not do likewise at the World Cup as Bale and his generation ran out of road against Iran and England. Injury-ravaged by this point, Bale still managed to rouse himself and inspire a brilliant 2-0 win over Turkey that again sealed progress to the knockout stages. Drawn alongside Slovakia, England and Russia, Bale scored in each game as Wales finished top of their group. Bale collected his fifth Champions League medal in 2021/22, although he was little more than a cheerleader under Ancelotti. He came off the bench again, the relationship with Zidane clearly strained by this point, when Madrid faced Liverpool in the 2018 final in Kyiv. Two years later, Bale converted in a shootout when Madrid again beat their city rivals in the European showpiece at San Siro. Bale endured a difficult relationship with Madrid’s demanding fanbase at times, but he scored a sensational solo goal to down Barcelona in the 2014 Copa del Rey final. He was twice named PFA Players’ Player of the Year after stunning Premier League campaigns in 2010/11 and 2012/13. 2019/20 2010/11 Once again, injuries blighted Bale and he started just twice for LAFC in 13 appearances. Bale did not form part of his plans, which meant a loan return to Tottenham in 2020/21.

Gareth Bale called time on an illustrious playing career at age 33. The ex-Real Madrid and Wales star will go down as one of the finest British players of ...

Rob Page’s team could not do likewise at the World Cup as Bale and his generation ran out of road against Iran and England. Injury-ravaged by this point, Bale still managed to rouse himself and inspire a brilliant 2-0 win over Turkey that again sealed progress to the knockout stages. Drawn alongside Slovakia, England and Russia, Bale scored in each game as Wales finished top of their group. Bale collected his fifth Champions League medal in 2021/22, although he was little more than a cheerleader under Ancelotti. He came off the bench again, the relationship with Zidane clearly strained by this point, when Madrid faced Liverpool in the 2018 final in Kyiv. Two years later, Bale converted in a shootout when Madrid again beat their city rivals in the European showpiece at San Siro. Bale endured a difficult relationship with Madrid’s demanding fanbase at times, but he scored a sensational solo goal to down Barcelona in the 2014 Copa del Rey final. He was twice named PFA Players’ Player of the Year after stunning Premier League campaigns in 2010/11 and 2012/13. 2019/20 2010/11 Once again, injuries blighted Bale and he started just twice for LAFC in 13 appearances. Bale did not form part of his plans, which meant a loan return to Tottenham in 2020/21.

Bale - who announced his retirement in an emotional post on Monday - shot to stardom in 2010 after notching a second-half hat-trick against the reigning ...

They were beaten 4-0 in Spain and 1-0 at White Hart Lane. [BBC World Service](https://twitter.com/JohnBennettBBC/status/1612762480203206656?s=20&t=jyhj17HaBbBe77uxgoF75Q), Bassong said: 'He [Bale] just took the game on, on his own. I remember Samuel Eto'o asking me on the pitch: "Who's that?!" At San Siro, he lifted the game up, changed the whole scenario and gave us hope.' It was crazy to see how easy it was for him to do whatever he wanted to do. [who announced his retirement in an emotional post on Monday](/sport/football/article-11615297/Gareth-Bale-retires-football-Wales-Tottenham-Real-Madrid-legend-hangs-boots.html) - shot to stardom in 2010 after notching a second-half hat-trick against the reigning [Champions League](/sport/champions_league/index.html) holders in Spurs' 4-3 defeat.

Wales manager Rob Page reveals details of his conversation with Gareth Bale ahead of his retirement announcement; I told him I think its the right time to ...

He was the first through the building and he's a credit to himself and his family the way he conducts himself in the group. "We appreciate their forthrightness in coming to us when they did. "There's a mixture of emotions for me. When the time is right we'll talk about what capacity we keep him involved." You've just scored in a World Cup and got everything on your CV, what you've done for this country is unbelievable." It's not the news we wanted to start the new year with but we knew it was going to come one day. The roles might have changed slightly. "When you've got someone of Bale's stature and what he's done for Wales, the impact he can have - even being in the changing room and the impact he can have on the players, then I've got to take advantage of that. We just didn't know when it was going to come." He was so proud to put that jersey on. "I've now worked with him for a couple of years and when I was in the U21s, I could see from afar that he was passionate about playing for his country. "He's put Wales on the map globally for what he's done in European football at Real Madrid and what he did at Tottenham in the Premier League and then in the World Cup with Wales.

The Manchester City boss wants to be one of the featured groups in Gareth Bale's retirement golf bonanza.

It has morphed from a media narrative to self-fulfilling prophecy in recent years, and who better to talk Guardiola out of it than Mr. Less than 24 hours after the Welshman’s announcement, he is already receiving invites to tee it up from all across sports, including from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, a mad-hatter-level soccer genius currently pushing to win his fifth Premier League title in the last six seasons. [announcing his retirement](https://twitter.com/GarethBale11/status/1612466979373461504) at the age of 33.

Wales is a country that often feels sidelined, but he became an ambassador that couldn't be ignored.

For a few years he was one of the best players in the world, [the Copa del Rey final of 2014](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/apr/16/barcelona-real-madrid-copa-del-rey-match-report-gareth-bale) where it was easier for him to run off the pitch and round the Barcelona player trailing in his wake was a carbon copy of [something he’d done for Wales against Iceland](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/mar/05/wales-iceland-international-friendly-match-report) a few months before. He has done far more to put Wales on the map than any individual in my lifetime. [It had to be him](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jun/11/gareth-bale-wales-slovakia-european-championship-group-b-football). His blend of sporting ingenuity and craving to win could prompt the unorthodox; the goal he scored in Failure to qualify for a major tournament had been a festering wound in Wales for 58 years and bordered on a national obsession, but Bale seemed to thrive on the responsibility. [in the first game of Euro 2016](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jun/11/wales-slovakia-euro-2016-match-report) by scoring after 10 minutes and when the euphoria in the stands died down the 24,000 Wales fans who’d made the trip to Bordeaux looked at each other and wondered which celestial being to thank. [Wales](https://www.theguardian.com/football/wales) shirt who was capable of the miraculous, with a passion for representing his country that crackled like electricity. Someone who could succeed for his country where the superstars of the past had failed. Playing at left-back for his club, a folly met with utter disbelief by Toshack and the Wales intermediate team manager Brian Flynn, the visionaries instrumental in playing him further up the pitch, Bale’s progress was initially gradual. One hundred and eleven caps and 41 goals ago, a 16-year-old Gareth Bale made his debut for Wales at a time when the landscape around the team was very different. There seemed to be a conveyor belt of teenagers, but we worried none would make the grade.