Gareth Bale of Wales has announced his retirement from football at the age of 33, capping a brilliant career that saw him earn the most men’s international caps for his country and win numerous titles with Spanish club side Real Madrid.
In a statement released on Monday, Bale said, “After thorough and thoughtful reflection, I announce my immediate retirement from club and international football.”
“I feel tremendously lucky to have had my dream of participating in the sport I love realized. The forward for Los Angeles FC continued, “It has really given me some of the best moments of my life.
No matter what the next chapter has for him, the highest of highs over 17 seasons will be hard to duplicate, he added.
One of the greatest footballers to ever play for Wales was Bale, a five-time Champions League champion with Real Madrid who also set a record by playing 111 games for his nation.
He led Wales to their first World Cup since 1958 in Qatar in 2022 as their captain and talisman. That followed earlier triumphs, primarily fueled by Bale’s brilliance, that saw the nation qualify for the 2016 and 2020 European championship tournaments.
With 41 goals, he now ranks first among all male goal scorers in Wales history, 13 goals ahead of the late striker Ian Rush.
The choice to leave the international football scene was by far the hardest one of Bale’s career.
“My experience on the global stage has altered not only my life but also who I am. The good fortune of being Welsh and being chosen to represent and captain Wales has given me an experience unlike anything else I’ve had, he continued.
When Bale was 16 years old, Southampton, a south coast team, introduced him to professional football and that is where he began his senior career in England.
He advanced swiftly, joining the London club Tottenham Hotspur a year later.
Bale was purchased by Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid for a cost that British media at the time claimed to be 100 million euros ($107.45m) after six seasons in the Premier League, during which time his talent started to bloom and determine games.
He continued to contribute more than 100 goals to the team, assisting them in winning multiple Champions League championships, three Spanish league titles, and various domestic cup competitions.
Bale eventually left for the United States to join Los Angeles FC in June after becoming marginalized by the team toward the end of his tenure in the Spanish capital.
It didn’t take him long to make a difference for his new team; after scoring an equalizer in the 128th minute of the championship game, they went on to win Major League Soccer. LA eventually defeated Philadelphia on penalties.
Bale added, “Everything in between, from my very first touch at Southampton to my very last with LAFC, built a club career for which I have an amazing pleasure and gratitude.”
“I owe a lot of individuals for changing my life and forming my profession in ways I never could have imagined when I first began out at the age of nine,” the author said.
