Welsh winger Gareth Bale, 33, announced on Monday his retirement from club and national team football, putting an end to a career full of football.
“After careful consideration, I announce my immediate retirement from international as well as club football,” Bale said on Twitter.
He continued, “I feel very fortunate to have fulfilled my dream of playing the sport that I love. It really gave me some of the best moments of my life.”
– Gareth Bale (@GarethBale11) January 9, 2023
Bale led his country to the European Cup finals twice, in 2016 and 2021, and to the World Cup Qatar 2022 for the first time since 1958. He also won the European Champions League five times with Real Madrid, during the nine years he spent with him (2013-2022).
Bell left Real Madrid at the end of last June, after he faced difficulties during his last years at the Santiago Bernabeu, noting that he had moved to the royal club in a world record deal in 2013.
Bale is very popular with Wales fans, especially after he played a prominent role last year in qualifying his country for the Qatar World Cup.
And before his decision to retire today, Bale had expressed his hope that he would participate with his country in the European Championship (Euro 2024).
And when he moved to Los Angeles FC last year, he refused to consider the MLS a “retirement league.”