BREAKING: Five-time Champions League winner Gareth Bale retires from football
Gareth Bale is one of the greatest players of his generation and that’s not even up for debate. What a career the Welsh Wizard has had.
Wales and Real Madrid legend Gareth Bale has announced his retirement from professional football after a stunning career including five Champions League titles.
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Wales captain Gareth Bale retires from football
The Wales captain has hung up his boots after a glittering career, aged 33. The nation’s most-capped men’s player in history announced his decision on social media.
“After careful and thoughtful consideration, I announce my immediate retirement from club and international football,” wrote the LAFC forward.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to have realised my dream of playing the sport I love.”
The Cardiff-born winger started his club career at Southampton before he gained mainstream notoriety at Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid. After a glorious contribution to Real Madrid’s Golden Era, he made the move stateside to LAFC.
He was his country’s talisman as they reached the 2016 and 2020 Euros before ending his career in Wales’ first World Cup since 1958 at Qatar 2022.
“It (football) has truly given me some of the best moments of my life,” added Bale.
“The highest of highs over 17 seasons, that will be impossible to replicate, no matter what the next chapter has in store for me.”
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Gareth Bale: Notable achievements
- Five UEFA Champions League titles
- Scorer in two separate UCL finals
- 106 goals in 258 Real Madrid appearances
- 40 goals in 111 Wales caps
- EPL PFA Player of the Year in 2011
- Moved to Real Madrid in 2013 for a then-world record fee of €100.8 million
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