Bale has announced his retirement from playing. Bale said on his SNS on the 10th (Korean time), “It was a tough decision, but now I have decided to retire. I felt proud and grateful during my club career. I was also able to fulfill my dream by playing 111 games representing my country. This journey I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who has been with me,” he announced his retirement.
Bale continued, “It was such an honor to become the captain of the Wales national football team. I was happy to be able to write a page in the history of Welsh football. I could feel the support and passion of the people. I had teammates who were like brothers, and the support of the staff was fantastic. I’m retiring from the national team now, but Wales will be forever.”
Bale is the best star player Wales has ever produced. He went through Southampton and played a big role at Tottenham Hotspur, becoming a top-class player in the English Premier League (EPL). Later, he moved to Real Madrid in 2013, and in the early days of his joining, he played an active role as a central axis of Real’s attack along with Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
However, as time passed, he showed disappointing steps. His injuries were frequent, and he was criticized by fans for playing golf more than football. In the 2020-21 season, he left on loan to his home team Tottenham and showed a revival movement by recording 11 goals and 2 assists in 20 EPL games. However, after returning to Real Madrid, he left regrets again.
In the end, Bale left Real in the summer of 2022 and headed for Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States. Bale, who was in the twilight of his career at LAFC, recently participated in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. This World Cup was a historic tournament in which Wales advanced to the finals for the first time in 64 years.
Upon hearing the news of Bale’s retirement, Son Heung-min sent a message of support through social media. Son Heung-min worked with Bale when he was loaned to Tottenham. “Bale is a Tottenham and football legend. I applaud him for a great career. I wish him the best of luck in his future phase of his career,” he said.
In the midst of this, Guardiola’s delightful response to Bale’s retirement drew attention. According to England’s ‘Football Daily’, Guardiola said, “Now, Bale will be a fantastic golfer.” 토토