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Bale writes goodbye letter to Real Madrid: ‘This dream became a reality’

Gareth Bale wrote a farewell letter to Real Madrid on Wednesday, the Welshman bringing an end to his nine-year spell at the Spanish club, where he said his "dream became a reality".

Published: 1 June 2022 13:23 CEST
Bale writes goodbye letter to Real Madrid: 'This dream became a reality'
Real Madrid's Welsh striker Gareth Bale comes on as substitute during the UEFA Champions League Quarter-final first leg football match between Chelsea and Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, on April 6, 2022. - Madrid won the game 3-1. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / IKIMAGES / AFP)

Bale will leave Real Madrid when his contract expires at the end of June, with the 32-year-old yet to confirm what he will do next.

His future is likely to depend on whether Wales qualify for the World Cup in Qatar, with retirement a possible option if they miss out.

“I write this message to say thank you to all my teammates, past and present, my managers, the backroom staff and to the fans that supported me,” Bale wrote in a letter to Real Madrid, posted on social media in both English and Spanish.

“I arrived here nine years ago as a young man who wanted to realise my dream of playing for Real Madrid. To wear the pristine white kit, to wear the crest on my chest, to play at the Santiago Bernabeu, to win titles and to be part of what it’s so famous for, to win the Champions League.

“I can now look back, reflect and say with honesty that this dream became a reality and much, much more.

“To be a part of this club’s history and to achieve what we achieved while I was a Real Madrid player has been an incredible experience and one I will never forget.

“I also want to thank president Florentino Pérez, Jose Angel Sánchez and the board for giving me the opportunity to play for this club. Together we were able to create some moments that will live forever in the history of this club and football. It has been an honour.”

After joining Madrid from Tottenham for 100 million euros in 2013, Bale went on to win 16 major trophies with Real Madrid, including five Champions Leagues, three La Ligas and one Copa del Rey.

He also won three Club World Cups, three UEFA Super Cups and a Spanish Super Cup.

Memorable moments

More than his trophies, Bale will be remembered for a handful of spectacular moments, including his two goals scored off the bench against Liverpool in the 2018 Champions League final in Kiev, the first coming from a stunning bicycle kick.

He scored another hugely important goal in the 2014 Champions League final in Lisbon, his header at the back post giving Real Madrid the lead against Atlético de Madrid in extra-time, as they went on to win the club’s long-awaited 10th European Cup.

Perhaps most memorable was Bale’s incredible solo goal at Mestalla to win the 2014 Copa del Rey final against Barcelona.

Bale’s popularity with the Real Madrid fans, though, has plummeted in recent years as injuries and a perceived lack of commitment pushed him to the fringes of the first team.

He was barely on speaking terms with Zinedine Zidane by the end of the 2017-18 season and hopes that Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure might revive his Real Madrid career were never realised.

A frosty relationship with the Spanish press harmed his reputation, with aspects of his personal life – including his passion for playing golf and a lack of fluency in Spanish – increasingly used to support the idea he had lost interest in his Real Madrid career.

The issue exploded in 2019 after Bale celebrated Wales’ qualification for Euro 2020 by standing behind a flag that read: “Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order.”

Despite his heroics in the Champions League final in 2018, Bale’s role had already been significantly reduced that season under Zidane and his influence continued to dwindle even as new coaches like Julen Lopetegui, Santiago Solari, Zidane again, and most recently, Carlo Ancelotti, took charge.

Last season, Bale played only five times in La Liga and seven minutes in the Champions League, again saving his best for Wales, as he scored a hat-trick against Belarus in September and then twice against Austria in March to keep their World Cup qualification hopes alive.

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RACISM

Bellingham ‘used to’ racist abuse in Spain as calls for action fall on deaf ears

Jude Bellingham said he and his Real Madrid teammates have become accustomed to dealing with racist abuse at away grounds in Spain, but the England international does not believe the authorities will do enough to quell the problem.

Published: 17 April 2024 11:20 CEST
Bellingham 'used to' racist abuse in Spain as calls for action fall on deaf ears

A racist gesture was made towards France’s Aurelien Tchouameni after he scored the only goal in a 1-0 win at Real Mallorca on Saturday.

Brazilian star Vinicius Junior has been a repeated target of racial abuse and Bellingham said he and his teammates were “used to” have to deal with “horrible” treatment.

“I think in the games where we go away in La Liga especially, you almost get so used to it,” said Bellingham at a pre-match press conference ahead of Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final, second leg away to Manchester City.

“I think it’s a horrible way for a player to have to prepare for a game knowing that they’re probably going to get racially abused. It’s disgusting. It shouldn’t happen. The people in power need to do more.”

Mallorca publicly condemned the gesture and said they are working with police to identify the culprit.

Bellingham said he had not even been aware of the incident, racist abuse is so frequent.

“It’s definitely a call out for the people who are in charge to take control,” he added.

“I doubt that will happen and it’s going to be something that I imagine we will still have to just deal with going into games.”

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