Gareth Bale is a famous Welsh footballer who currently plays as a winger for the Spanish club Real Madrid. In addition, he is also part of the Wales national team. He was born on July 16 (Cancer according to the horoscope) 1989 in Cardiff (Wales, UK). His height is about 183 centimeters, and his weight reaches 81 kilograms. Full name: Gareth Frank Bale.
Gareth was raised in the family of Frank and Debbie Bale. His father once worked at a local school, and his mother worked part-time as a manager. Together they identify young Gareth in primary school"Eglwys Newydd." It was this decision that became fateful for Bale, since it was at this school that he was noticed by football scouts of the local Southampton club. Then Gareth was only nine years old, but despite such a young age, he was still able to show his talent and express himself in all its glory.
As Gareth himself says, from the age of three he was in love with football and even then he knew for sure that he would devote his whole life to this business. He always imagined himself in the shoes of the most famous football players, and dreamed of someday playing on the same field.
This is followed by his transition to Whitchurch High School, where he attracts attention through his athletic abilities. But football was not the only hobby of young Bale; during his school years he was also passionate about rugby and hockey. In addition, these sports were as easy for him as football.
In 2005, he successfully graduated from high school, leaving behind victories in many sports competitions, as well as the Cardiff Cup and the school award, which he received thanks to his unique abilities.
Such a talent as Gareth Bale, of course, did not go unnoticed; after graduating from school, all the doors to a successful sports career were undoubtedly open to him and even the English Manchester United already had their sights on the young talent.
Start of a football career
After graduating from school, Gareth Bale was immediately offered a place at the Southampton club and already in 2006 he became part of the football world and scored his debut goal against the Derby County club. Gareth became the youngest footballer in the club's history. In fact, Bale spent quite a bit of time at this club; already in 2007, he was intercepted by the professional English club Tottenham Hotspur, which offered the young footballer a deal worth five million pounds. In his first four matches, Bale kept no one waiting and scored three matches, including against Arsenal. 
True, such a desire to show everyone his talent ultimately backfired on young Bale, as he later received a fairly serious injury during a match against Birmingham City. Due to an ankle injury, he was unable to continue playing for the entire season. But the next day he was back in action and had already signed a four-year contract with the club. True, this season turned out to be not as fruitful as the previous one.
A year later he undergoes knee surgery and stops playing for some time. He was able to perform well in the 2009 Champions League, scoring goals against clubs such as Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs. This is followed by whole line awards that could glorify Gareth Bale in the world of football. Thus, many clubs became interested in acquiring Gareth, but in 2013 his choice fell on Real Madrid.
real Madrid
The contract with Real Madrid was drawn up taking into account their six-year cooperation, but nothing was known about the payment on the Internet, since for some reason Gareth Bale’s price remained hidden to others. But already in 2014, the secret was revealed, and it became known that Bale’s fee was about 100 million euros, which exceeds the fee of Christiano Ronaldo himself, who receives 6 million less. 
Gareth Bale was able to impress everyone with his performance against Villarreal, where he scored his debut goal in the new club. True, injuries did not leave poor Gareth and for the entire season he was able to play only in five matches out of sixteen. But once he got back into shape, he was again able to prove his dominance on the field. The most significant goal at that time was the final in 2014, where they had to fight their main rival, Barcelona. Gareth also scored the winning goal against neighbors Atlético Madrid in the 2014 UEFA Champions League Final. Dalla follows fruitful work in the team, victory in the World Cup, as well as his new agreement with Real Madrid, which will last until 2022.
Success in the Welsh national team
Gareth Bale has been part of the Wales national football team since 2005, when he was just 16 years old. Although he had every right to play for England, he still decided to stick to his native Wales. For all time and before today Bale praised his many contributions to the Wales national team and was able to prove to everyone that he is truly a talented footballer. In 2016, at the European Championships in France, the Welsh team, not without Bale’s perseverance, managed to reach the final part of the championship, beating such teams as the teams of Belgium, Slovakia, England, Russia, Northern Ireland, and only the Portuguese team was able to stop the pressure of the Welsh players, winning They have a score of 2:0. 
Relationship
Gareth Bale is married to his long-time girlfriend Emma Rhys-Jones. Their marriage produced daughters Alba Violet in 2012 and Nava Valentina in 2016.
Yesterday at the 42nd Toronto Film Festival the premiere of the western “Enemies” with Christian Bale in the title role took place. The actor appeared at the premiere of the film with his wife Sibi Blazik. The couple, married for 17 years, demonstrated tender feelings for each other, but eyewitnesses were not even so impressed by them a passionate kiss on the red carpet, as much as the image of Christian himself, who again noticeably gained weight in the name of art.
Christian Bale with his wife Sibi Blazik Christian previously told Variety that he had gained weight for the new role.
It's easy to gain weight - I just eat a lot of pies. “I had to gain 20 kilograms for the role of former US Vice President Dick Cheney,” Christian said.
According to Bale, to more accurately resemble the character, he also had to lighten his eyebrows. Bale stars as Cheney in the film, directed by Adam McKay, with whom he previously worked in the film The Big Short. The name of the film, as well as the premiere date, are still unknown.
Christian Bale and Sibi got married in January 2000. They have a 12-year-old daughter, Emmeline, and a 3-year-old son, Joseph.
Let us note that Christian Bale was never afraid to radically change himself. In 2000, for the sake of his role in the film “American Psycho,” Christian faced a serious task - to turn into a man with an ideal appearance in a year and a half. And he did it - thanks to daily training and a strict diet.
In 2003's The Machinist, Bale plays a factory worker who goes crazy and doesn't eat or sleep for a year. For the role of the driver, Christian lost 30 kilograms; his weight was 55 kilograms with a height of 1 meter 83 centimeters.
After working on The Machinist, it turned out that filming had begun on the film Batman Begins, in which Christian plays the role of Batman. In a short time, Bale turned into a superhero - he gained 45 kilograms and worked actively in the gym.
In 2010, Christian again had to lose a fair amount of weight in order to reliably play a cocaine-addicted former boxer in the film “The Fighter.” Literally a year later, filming began on The Dark Knight Rises, and Bale again had to turn into a superhero.
Christian Bale in the movie "The Machinist"
Christian Bale in the movie "American Psycho" But let's return to the film "Enemies", which was presented in Toronto. In the story, the legendary American military man agrees to accompany a dying officer and his relatives on the way home. During the trip, the company meets a young widow whose family died during the war. Together they are trying to overcome the dangerous territory inhabited by the Comanche tribes. In addition to Bale, the film stars Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) and Ben Foster (Train to Yuma). The film is directed by Scott Cooper ("Crazy Heart", "Out of the Furnace", "Black Mass"). Nothing is yet known about the distribution fate of “Enemies” in the world and in Russia. According to film critics, the film “Enemies” may well take part in the race for the Oscar in 2018, Variety notes.
The story of these two lovers can serve as an excellent script for a sentimental melodrama. Having met back in childhood, they still retain warm and tender feelings for each other.
Emma Rhys-Jones and Gareth Bale remain one of the most private couples, jealously protecting their incredible happiness from the ubiquitous journalists. Gareth does not allow any paparazzi near himself or his family, so in the press there are practically no scandals and gossip related to the name of the famous player and his family.
Emma Rhys-Jones
Emma Rhys-Jones, like young Gareth, was born and raised in the largest city and capital of Wales, Cardiff. They attended the same school, where they met when Gareth Bale was still a completely unknown young man, but already showing great promise. His passion for football was the reason for frequent absences from school, so he took advantage of the reliability of the modest Emma and constantly copied her homework.
Even then, their first feelings arose, and the young people began to meet. But when Gareth moved to London team Tottenham Hotspur, their relationship ended. The aspiring football talent has a new girlfriend - a London model. Of course, Emma was very worried and, as it turned out, in vain: the next summer Gareth reappears as if nothing had happened and the love relationship is resumed with renewed vigor.
Gareth Bale's wife
Since Gareth Bale's wife Emma Rhys-Jones moved into his London flat, the couple have remained inseparable. Emma Rhys-Jones attends all his games, and the footballer dedicates every goal he scores to his beloved, sending her “hearts” drawn with his hands. Naturally, this relationship led to the birth of a child, and on October 21, 2012, the couple had a baby girl, who was named Alba Violet.
Emma Rhys-Jones. Photo
They have known each other for many years and live together. Gareth Bale became a world-famous player and moved to play for Real Madrid. He has become the most expensive player in the history of football and earns a quarter of a million euros a week playing for the Royal Club. However, these factors did not at all affect the human qualities of the romantic couple. They still love each other and are sensitive to their feelings. Emma, despite her lover’s super-income, is not at all keen on shopping; she likes to dress simply and comfortably, without spending hundreds of thousands of euros on clothes, like many “football” wives. According to family friends, her husband’s popularity did not affect the character of the modest Emma; she remains the same modest and ordinary girl, caring for her husband and daughter. It’s rare to see such relationships among famous and popular personalities.
In March 2016, Emma Rhys-Jones gave Gareth Bale another daughter. “Delighted to welcome another beautiful baby girl into our family today. Nava Valentina Bale” - this post appeared on Gareth’s Twitter. That same year, on his twenty-seventh birthday on July 16, 2016, Gareth finally matured and proposed to the mother of his two charming daughters. To hear the cherished word “Yes,” the famous football player rented an entire island worth 380 thousand pounds, on which he proposed his hand in marriage to Emma. To confirm this event, the Real Madrid midfielder posted a photo of Emma on Instagram, accompanied by the caption: “She said yes!” This is a birthday weekend I won’t forget for a long time.” Apparently, we should expect that this year fans and admirers of the world's fastest footballer Gareth Bale will finally see his wedding march with Emma Rhys-Jones.
Gareth Frank Bale. Born July 16, 1989 in Cardiff (Wales). Welsh footballer.
Gareth Bale is a player for the Spanish club Real Madrid and the Wales national team.
He plays as a winger.
It is distinguished by high speed and a well-placed blow.
He began his football career at Southampton, playing as a left-back and being a free-kick specialist. After moving to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2007, he began to play in more attacking positions.
Bale's transfer from London to Madrid cost Real Madrid 100 million euros, thereby setting a new world transfer cost record.
Gareth Bale's team achievements:
Real Madrid:
Copa del Rey winner: 2013/14
UEFA Champions League winner: 2013/14, 2015/16
UEFA Super Cup winner: 2014
Club World Cup Winner: 2014
Gareth Bale's personal achievements:
Member of the UEFA Team of the Year: 2011, 2013
Gareth Bale - best goals and moments
Gareth Bale was born on July 16, 1989 in the Welsh capital Cardiff. As a child, he decided that he would definitely become a football player.
"I fell in love with football literally from three years. I constantly asked my father to take me to the park to work out. Football was always in my life. And I was left-handed, it seems, from the very first day,” he said.
As a child, he was an avid fan, watched all the football matches and admired the strongest football players in the world. He constantly imagined himself in their place and dreamed of becoming an equally great player. Being a true football fan, Gareth actively hunted for autographs and T-shirts of stars, in particular, his collection includes T-shirts of Alessandro Nesta, Ryan Giggs and. Obviously, then he could not even imagine that he would play with Ronaldo in the same team.
“The first World Cup that I clearly remember was 1998, in France. I was nine years old then. I was delighted with the way the Brazilians played. They played so stylishly,” he shared his childhood impressions.
Gareth was noticed by Southampton scouts at the age of nine, then began training at one of the club's affiliated academies. Training brought only pleasure to the young Welshman; he tried to prove to everyone and himself that he was capable of achieving great success in football.
At 16, Bale played for his school's under-18s team and helped them win the Cardiff Schools Cup. In the same year he received an award from the Welsh Department of Sports.
IN Southampton he fell towards the end of the 2005/06 season, so he played few games in this football year. His first game for the Saints came in a 2-0 win against Millwall. Bale became the youngest player to play for Southampton in an official match since Theo Walcott. Bale started the next season as a starter, eventually playing 38 matches and scoring 5 goals.
In 2007, Bale moved to Tottenham Hotspur, where he immediately took a place in the base. The start of his career in London was successful - Bale scored 6 goals in his starting 4 matches (one of them in the English League Cup). But a knee injury prevented the player from finally gaining a foothold in the main team - Bale was out for the rest of the season.
Gradually recovering from his injuries, he began to prove his right to a place in the first team in the 2009/10 season. Head coach Harry Redknapp noticed the progress of the young talent and began to allow him to join the team. Since January 2010, the player has again been a regular starter for Tottenham.
On May 7, 2010, Gareth Bale extended his contract with the team until 2014. Bale's successful play helped Tottenham take 4th place in the championship at the end of the season, which allowed the team to qualify for the group stage of the Champions League for the first time in many years.
On August 21, 2010, in the English Championship match against Stoke City, Bale scored his first double, which brought Tottenham victory and allowed the team to rise in the standings. On September 29 of the same year, the Welshman scored his first goal in the Champions League - against the Dutch Twente.
In the off-season, many top European clubs were interested in Gareth Bale, including Inter, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Milan.
On October 20, Bale scored his first hat-trick in the Champions League against Inter Milan, but this did not help the Londoners avoid defeat (the match ended with a score of 4:3 in favor of the Italian team). Bale became the first Welshman to score a hat-trick in the Champions League.
In February 2011, the PFA recognized him as Player of the Year in England.
In 2012, Gareth Bale changes his number 3 to 11. In the new season, he becomes the real leader of Tottenham. For his performance in the 2012/2013 season, he was awarded the PFA Player of the Year award for the second time in his career, in addition to receiving the PFA Young Player of the Year award. He became only the third person to win two awards at once (the first was Andy Gray, the second was Cristiano Ronaldo, they won both awards in 1977 and 2007-2008 respectively). He also won the best young player award in Wales.
After a successful season at Tottenham, they wanted to see Bale in their ranks "Real Madrid".
Negotiations between the English and Spanish clubs lasted all summer, and therefore the player was forced to miss all pre-season training camps, as well as the start of the season. On September 1, 2013, Real Madrid officially confirmed Bale's transfer. The Welshman's transfer cost €100 million, making Bale the most expensive player in football history.
In his first match for the “royal club”, Gareth scored a goal, hitting the gates of “Villarreal”. However, soon after this, the midfielder suffered a minor injury, which forced him to miss several matches.
On September 30, 2013, Bale scored a double and also provided two assists in a match against Sevilla. On November 30, Bale scored his first hat-trick for Real Madrid, scoring three goals against Valladolid.
On April 16, 2014, Gareth scored the winning goal against Barcelona in the final of the Copa del Rey, and a month later, on May 24, the Welshman scored the winning goal in the Champions League final, hitting the goal of Atlético Madrid.
Bale began the next season as one of the full-fledged leaders of Los Blancos. On August 12, 2014, Real won the UEFA Super Cup match by beating Sevilla; Bale played the entire match on the field and gave two assists.
On December 20, 2014, Gareth scored one of the goals against San Lorenzo in the final, and Real won another trophy - they won the Club World Cup.
In the 2015/16, 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 seasons, he won the Champions League three times in a row with Real Madrid.
Bale became the hero of the final on May 26, 2018 in Kyiv, when Real beat Liverpool. The Welshman scored twice - in the 64th minute he scored while falling over himself, and in the 84th minute he put the winning point in the match - Bale shot far from outside the penalty area, the ball flew into the hands of English goalkeeper Loris Karius, but curiously bounced off at the gate.
Gareth Bale in the Wales national team
He went through all the levels of the Wales national team: from youth to 17 years old to the senior level, without missing a single stage.
At the youth team level, Bale did not win any laurels - the team never qualified for major tournaments.
In a match for the national team, he made his debut in a friendly match with Trinidad and Tobago on May 27, 2006, replacing midfielder David Vaughn in the 55th minute with the score 1:1. As a result, the Welsh prevailed 2:1, and Bale became the youngest debutant in the history of the national team.
A month later, on October 7, 2006, Bale made his debut in the qualifying tournament for Euro 2008. He started at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium against Slovakia and played the full 90 minutes.
However, until the qualifying tournament for the 2016 European Championship in France, the Welsh team did not shine even with Bale.
But under Coleman’s leadership, the “dragons” - for the first time since 1958 - managed to reach the finals of a major international tournament. Playing in Group B, the Welsh team took second place in it, only two points behind the leader - the Belgian team. Gareth Bale took part in all ten qualifying matches and managed to score seven of the country's eleven goals in the qualifying round.
In the first match of the group stage of the European Championship, Bale managed to hit the goal of the Slovakian national team from a free kick and open the scoring in the match, which helped his team win with a score of 2:1. In the next European Championship match against England, Bale scored again from a free kick and repeated the achievement of Michel Platini, scoring 2 goals at the European Championships from free kicks. Nanonets, and in the match against the Russian national team, which the Welsh won 3:0, he also distinguished himself.
Gareth Bale's best goals
Gareth Bale's height: 183 centimeters.
Personal life of Gareth Bale:
Married. He met his wife in Cardiff as a teenager. Her name is Emma Rhys-Jones. They started dating while they were still in school. Then they got married.
Bale dedicates his goals to his wife - he patented the so-called “man-made heart”, which he demonstrates every time after he scores a goal.
Gareth Bale - man-made heart
By the way, the football player argued with Canadian singer Justin Bieber for the right to patent a “man-made heart” and still managed to have the heart recognized as his. The case even went to court, which Bale won against Bieber. The Intellectual Property Office has registered Bale's rights to this logo.
In October 2012, the football player and his wife Emma Rhys-Jones had a daughter, Alba Violet.
Sports achievements of Gareth Bale:
Tottenham Hotspur:
Football League Cup winner: 2007/08
Real Madrid:
Champion of Spain: 2016/17
Copa del Rey winner: 2013/14
Spanish Super Cup winner: 2017
UEFA Champions League winner: 2013/14, 2015/16, 2016/2017, 2017/2018
UEFA Super Cup winner: 2014, 2016, 2017
Club World Cup winner: 2014, 2016, 2017
Personal:
Premier League Player of the Season: 2012/13
PFA England Player of the Year: 2010/11, 2012/13
PFA England Young Player of the Year: 2012/13
AFJ Footballer of the Year in England: 2012/13
English Premier League Player of the Month: April 2010, January 2012, February 2013
Member of the PFA Team of the Year: 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13
Member of the UEFA Team of the Year: 2011, 2013
Wales Player of the Year: 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
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I just asked Gareth Bale what he would prefer to order if we came for tapas (in Spain, any appetizer served with beer or wine - website note). "Fine. I think for starters we would take jamon (cured pork ham - approx. website). If I admit it, I'm a little obsessed with him. He's excellent. I would also like to bring it home someday the next time I return to England. In Madrid there is an excellent restaurant "Txitsu", where people come famous people and football players. I think we would go there."
Have you paid for your entire order many times since you won the Champions League?
"No, not much. Just a few times."
Last May, Bale scored the decisive goal in the Champions League final as Real beat fellow Atletico Madrid. (“I would like to remember my goal,” says the Welshman. “After it, I looked back at my teammates, and a second later, despite the pain in my legs, I rode across the lawn in a fit of joy.”) A little earlier, Gareth brought victory to the team in Copa del Rey, when they beat their archenemy, Barcelona. It was then that he scored a goal, running along the entire left sideline from the center of the field to the opponent's goal. It was similar to “Roy of the Rovers” (British comic about footballer Roy Race - website note). With these balls, Bale somewhat justified his cost and entered the pantheon of the most popular football players of the Galacticos era. "That was incredible! - said Xabi Alonso when asked to describe his teammate's goal. "I've never seen anything like it." Let us remember that these are the words of a player who played in England, Spain, and now in Germany; which won the World Cup, the European Championship (twice) and the Champions League (twice).
Already in his first season at Real Madrid, Bale achieved a lot. But, of course, Madrid, in principle, expected such a development of events. The club was obliged to pay a huge sum for Tottenham to agree to let him go to fellow star Cristiano Ronaldo. Gareth's first year in the Spanish capital was certainly successful: victories in the Champions League and the Copa del Rey, 22 goals in 44 matches. But he is only 25 years old, and it feels like his marriage with Real has just begun.
I met Bale not in the center of Madrid, but near one of the sports centers. I hadn’t noticed him yet when suddenly I heard shouts nearby: “Bale! Bale! Bale! - this is how people around greeted the football player, who happily left autographs and smiled to take a selfie. Gareth enjoyed exchanging a few words in Spanish with the fans. In the end, we went into the locker room together.
Are you already fluent in a new language? “I’m only free in swearing for now,” he answered, grinning. - Seriously, of course, I can’t communicate easily. I used to attend tutoring every week and now I understand a lot more. But understanding conversations in a team is not a problem for me. True, as long as the coach doesn’t talk too fast.”
What was it like to be back in school?
“This is not the most pleasant feeling (laughs). I couldn't finish school for some reason, but they tried to drag me back. But seriously, that's not entirely true. Learning a new language is something that everyone can enjoy, and I had a personal motivation to do it.”
The conversation with the best football player in Great Britain is very interesting. He can make fun of himself, which, in my opinion, is appropriate for a shy person. He very politely refuses to talk about his personal life, but it is rather a charming story. Bale and his girlfriend Emma Rhys-Jones began dating for over ten years when they were students at Whitchurch School in Cardiff. His trademark“Heart from Hands” (intellectual property rights were approved in August 2013) is dedicated specifically to his wife and little daughter Alba-Violet, who turned two last month.
Gareth has a great environment in Madrid. For any famous football player nowadays it turns out high pressure, including negative ones. But, it seems, this is not about Bale - he skillfully copes with any difficulties, and, despite his salary, is not susceptible to star fever. “I don’t think I’ve changed since I was a kid. I can still have fun with my family and friends just like I did when I was 10 years old. For me, nothing has changed in this regard. Yes, I really play football high level, but at the same time I try to make life outside of work simpler. My family and relatives do not allow me to have my head in the clouds.”
Despite the fairly quick adaptation to the new team, the first months were not without difficulties. After seven years at Tottenham, the player needed to change something. “At first it was difficult for me to get used to a new team and a new country, but as soon as we settled in a new house with my family, I realized that everything would be much easier.”
Home - main reason why Bale got the hang of it so quickly. “It was great having a personal chef,” he says. “It was he who controlled the time, frequency and diet.”
Surely there are things you miss? “Good old English chocolate never hurts,” admits the Welshman. - Now some Dairy Milk or Galaxy... would be great. There is Milka in Spain too, but it’s not the same as at home.” His eyes light up. “Oh, I remembered about Nando (chocolate cake - approx.. It’s so funny that such little goodies can cheer up. It’s okay, soon we will bring real English tea bags and, of course, chocolate. And without Nando I can’t move at all "(smiles).
What about English football? Do you miss cold Premier League football? “It’s very interesting for me to watch him from the outside. You learn much more about it when you don’t live in it. The truth is that you always focus on your team, and there is no time to pay attention to anything else.”
Does this mean that there is no longer a piece of English in you?
"Of course have. For example, I still want Arsenal to fail and Tottenham to win."
Gareth Bale joined Tottenham from Southampton in May 2007. Spurs beat out Sir Alex Ferguson and his Manchester United in this regard, and the 17-year-old chose London. “He was very thin and clumsy,” recalled a Scottish specialist several years ago. “But soon, thanks to hard training in the gym, he became like an American welterweight boxer. I remember at the time that we were disappointed with Southampton, but we realized we would never be able to get him."
However, it is worth noting that the start of a new period in Gareth’s career did not go well. He made just 24 appearances for the team in the English Premier League over more than two years. It took a long time for Bale to break his loser curse. “I still think I started my Tottenham career pretty well,” the player began. - I remember that I scored three goals in my first five or six games for the club. But after that I received a serious injury, which put me out of action for eight months.”
“I talked about moving to Madrid as a difficult stage in my career, but adapting to Tottenham was the most difficult. I left my native Southampton at 16 to play with the likes of Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane. It was a completely different level. I didn’t know any of my future partners. And only at the very end, before the transition, I found out that Luka Modric was playing there. Then, a little later, I received that injury, and the doctors said that it would be difficult to return to my level. My confidence suffered somewhat from what I heard, and I was forced to close myself off. The only thing I wanted was to work harder further, that was the only way I could regain my confidence. However, this certainly takes time. But in the end it all worked out for me and the rest is history.”
Bale's story - like all sports stories - is lived through with the hero as all the difficulties and adversities are eventually overcome. Despite the youngster's talent, Southampton bosses were a bit worried about the still-schoolboy's progress. Over the next two years, he became the second youngest debutant in the club's history (16 years and 275 days).
Then there was the “Bale curse”. A name coined by English journalists when Tottenham failed to win in 24 matches when Gareth entered the field. By that time, the team had already had three managers. “When Harry Redknapp came into the team, he gave me a real boost,” recalls the Welshman. “It was he who made me progress. If it weren’t for him, then it’s likely that I wouldn’t be here now. This happens to a lot of young players and I was no exception.”
This was the end of Bale's troubles, and his story began to take a different turn. During this period, Gareth became an integral part of Tottenham as the club reached the group stage of the Champions League for the first time in history. Soon the Welshman made his presence known in a match against Inter Milan when he almost beat his opponent single-handedly. In the mentioned meeting, the left-back scored a hat-trick, after which he made everyone speak of himself in enthusiastic terms.
But it took the Southampton native a couple more years to become a truly great performer. Starting point? The moment when the footballer met the new Spurs head coach Andre Villas-Boas in the summer of 2012: “I was very inspired by his arrival and felt that I could seriously improve. But at the same time, I was upset that I spent every meeting exclusively on the left flank,” the player begins. - Villas-Boas just joined us, and soon we had a big conversation. We decided that I would not be tied to any position on the field, that I would independently look for space and appear where it would be best for the team. This decision benefited everyone: I began to score a lot more goals, and the team began to win more often. It was like a snowball effect. During that period, my confidence rose to unprecedented heights.”
His affection for his Portuguese mentor was clear. After the birth of Bale’s daughter, some joked that he chose the same initials as the coach’s (Alba Violet-Andre Villas - website note). “His confidence in me gave me strength. He was the person who instilled in me faith in myself and that I could play the game on the field. I will always be very grateful to him."
Bale finished the 2012/13 season with excellent results. He scored 26 goals, became the best young player of the year in England and the best player of the year in England according to footballers and journalists. The only football player who collected such a bouquet of similar awards in one year? Cristiano Ronaldo.
But, despite personal achievements, Tottenham still could not take a place above Arsenal and consistently make it into the main draw of the most prestigious club tournament. It was based on similar motives that Gareth decided to change the situation, moving to Real Madrid in the summer of the same year.
“I could only refuse Tottenham for the sake of Real Madrid,” says the player. - I hope the fans forgive me. It was incredibly nice to hear so many words of support after the recent Champions League final. A lot of people said they were proud of me and that made me feel amazing. I really enjoyed my time in London and the fans have always been something special to me. I think they understood my decision because the opportunity to play for Madrid is once in a lifetime. But at the same time I wanted to test myself. I repeat, if it weren’t for Real, I would have continued to play for Tottenham. But winning the Champions League shows why I took this step."
He seems to be one of the few. It's very rare for British players to succeed abroad (see how the transfers to Spain of Michael Owen and Jonathan Woodgate ended), but Bale is a completely different breed. He left home in Wales when he was still a schoolboy and stepped onto the turf of the English Premier League in early age. It took him a short time to become the face of the best football league in the world.
“I'm really enjoying being here,” says Gareth. - The team is playing amazingly now, and off the field I feel free. It's much warmer here, which I really like. Pre-season training was hot in every sense. The sweat just wouldn't leave me. I feel very comfortable being with my comrades.”
What can you say about Ronaldo? "I'm learning from the best player in the world." What has he already taught you? “To be honest, where to find a home” (laughs). “Not a day goes by that I don’t learn something from him. He helps me become a better footballer, and that is my goal. My prospects are to be on the same level as him. I used to practice hitting with right leg, otherwise, my training has not changed.”
Why before?
“Because every time I try, I can get a muscle strain.”
Of course, he jokes: “I can improve in every component, but my priority right now is my forehand.”
Bale considers his other hero to be the legendary compatriot Ryan Giggs (“he’s Welsh and also plays with his left foot, so it’s clear that I look up to him”), who professional level performed until he was forty. But Gareth isn’t thinking about it yet: “It’s too early for me to think about when I plan to retire. I don't want to look that far ahead."
However, Real Madrid's number 11 could very soon surpass the achievement of the Wales national team during the Giggs era, during whose performances the team never reached the qualifying round of the European or World Championships. Gareth sleeps and sees to help his partners qualify for the tournament in France: “I believe that reaching the World Championships will be one of the biggest victories of my career, along with conquering Decima. We want to make history in Wales and we know how much it means to the country.”
Previous Welsh players, including Giggs, have often been accused of putting their club interests ahead of their national interests. For example, the Manchester United midfielder played only 64 matches for the national team over a 16-year playing career. At the moment, Bale has already played 48 matches for his national team, although he is only 25 years old. But the player himself does not attach much importance to this: “I love playing for Wales. It's not a burden for me. I like being a big part of our team. I remember when we played a Toro game where they would put two young players in the center and the older players would stand around. I used to always be in the middle. Now I never go there because I know that I’m already a veteran!”
“We have a great team that knows what they are capable of. Previously we doubted, but now we know for sure that we can do it. We have a fairly young team, but I am happy to share my experience with others. I know I need to be a leader on the field right now. Yes, I’m not the loudest on the field, but I make every effort to succeed.”
He already feels quite mature and professional, answering a question about his coaching career: “Are matches held on weekends? - he smiles. - In modern football you never know what will happen. But the manager? It seems too difficult for me."
Interview with Charlie Parrish, The Telegraph
Translation by Sergei Kuvanzhi, website
