MY ACCOUNT
Gareth Bale has hung up his boots after a trophy-laden 16-year career as a professional.
The Welshman burst on to the scene in the Premier League with Southampton and Tottenham before earning a world-record switch to Real Madrid.
Bale, 33, has enjoyed countless iconic moments since making his debut for Saints in April 2006.
We take a look at five of the best from the five-time Champions League winner’s impressive back catalogue.
5. Going out with a bang (2013)
By the end of the 2012-13 season, it was clear Bale was destined to leave Tottenham with Los Blancos dreaming of partnering him with Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
But ever the gentleman, he decided to leave Spurs fans something to remember him by as he scored an absolute screamer against Sunderland in his final game.
Taking the ball down on the right flank, there was only ever going to be one outcome as the trickster cut inside and unleashed a furious left-footed effort past a helpless Simon Mignolet.
Unfortunately, the dramatic late winner was not enough to see Tottenham pip rivals Arsenal into the final Champions League spot.
4. La Decima (2014)
Bernabeu bosses made it clear from the very start that winning the Champions League was the only acceptable outcome after they splashed out more than £80million on Bale.
The Dragons speedster was yet to touch any silverware but wasted little time in bucking that trend by first lifting the Copa del Rey and then scoring on the biggest stage of them all against city rivals Atletico Madrid.
With the game locked at 1-1 deep into extra-time, Bale met a deflected Angel Di Maria cross to nod home at the far post in the 110th minute with a crucial header.
Ronaldo and Marcelo later struck to seal victory for Los Blancos and end their 12-year wait for a coveted 10th Champions League title.
3. Retiring Maicon (2010)
Bale produced two of the greatest individual displays of all time in Champions League group stage clashes against Inter Milan in 2010-11.
After scoring a hat-trick at the San Siro to almost pull off an impossible comeback from 4-0 down, the reverse fixture saw him lined up against one of the world’s most respected right-backs in Maicon.
That reputation did not last long as Bale ran riot, turning the Brazilian inside out and helping himself to two assists in a 3-1 victory.
Maicon left Inter for Manchester City not long after and never looked to have fully recovered from the ordeal.
2. Performance fit for a king (2014)
No stranger to a wonder goal to settle a final, Bale scored one of his all-time greatest efforts to down Barcelona in his first season in Spain.
The old foes were level at 1-1, 85 minutes into the 2014 Copa del Rey final, when the forward rounded Marc Bartra near the halfway line.
The desperate Barca centre-back shoved Bale over the touchline but he somehow kept his feet and raced clear to score a superb solo goal.
Helping his side lift the aptly named King’s Cup, the Cardiff-born sensation’s rise to footballing royalty was never in doubt from this moment.
1. Final curtain (2018)
Many players would look back on that strike and be happy but ever the showman, Bale had to go one better.
After Sadio Mane cancelled out Benzema’s opener in the 2018 Champions League final, the Welshman produced one of the all-time great strikes.
Just two minutes after coming off the bench, Bale rose to meet Marcelo’s cross and plant an overhead kick into the top corner as the Reds’ defence helplessly watched on.
Then with seven minutes to play, Bale’s speculative long-range effort drew a clanger from Loris Karius who dropped the ball into his net, sealing Real’s third-straight European crown.
