'One of the best in his generation,' Gareth Bale completes eight years at Real Madrid
Footballer Gareth Bale joined Real Madrid after a €100.8 million transfer from Tottenham Hotspur and what followed was brilliance on the field.
- SportFit
- 2 min read
Welsh footballer Gareth Bale made his first appearance for Spanish club Real Madrid on this day in 2013. He joined the club following a transfer worth around €100.8 million from Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. Real Madrid took to Instagram to wish the athlete for completing eight years with the team. Since he joined the club in 2013, he has scored 98 goals in 251 appearances for the club.
Bale's speed made him one of the fastest footballers of all time
While playing for Madrid, he became an integral part of the team and helped the team to win the 2013-14 Copa del Rey as well as 2014 UEFA Champions League by scoring in the finals of both the competition. In the 2014-15 season, he won the UEFA Super Cup with the team and yet again scored in the final to help Madrid clinch the FIFA Club World Cup. He was one of the key players for Madrid in their 2015 Champions League winning campaign. The same year, he was elected to the UEFA Squad of the Season and also became a finalist in the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award. He was also named the player of the match for scoring a goal with an overhead kick in the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final. He won a total of four Champions League titles, three Club World Cup titles, two LaLiga titles, two UEFA Super Cup titles, one Copa del Rey title, and one Supercopa de Espana with Real Madrid.
Bale was considered one of the fastest footballers in the world when he was at his peak. Before developing himself into becoming a world-class forward, Bale used to play as an offensive left-back or wing-back at the beginning of his career. His strength, stamina, heading ability, and excellent ball control are top-notch. These skills when combined with the acceleration he generates off the ground while running, allows him to get past the opponent’s defense with ease.
⤴️ That @GarethBale11 swerve ™️ pic.twitter.com/NKli98ZsLC
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) August 25, 2021
In the 2020-21 season, Bale returned to Tottenham Hotspur for a loan spell after a fallout with the then Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane. In 34 appearances for the Spurs during his second-stint, he netted 16 times. However, he returned to Real Madrid for the current season as the club is now being managed by Carlo Ancelotti, the man who was in charge when Bale originally joined the club.