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Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale.1
Personal information
Full name Gareth Frank Bale
Date of birth 16 July 1989 (1989-07-16) (age 34)
Place of birth    Cardiff, Flag of Wales Wales
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing position Winger
Youth clubs

1999–2006
Flag of Wales Cardiff Civil Service
Flag of England Southampton
Senior clubs
Years Club App (Gls)
2006–2007
2007–2013
2013–2022
2020–2021
2022–2023
Total
Flag of England Southampton
Flag of England Tottenham Hotspur
Flag of Spain Real Madrid
Flag of EnglandTottenham Hotspur (loan)
Flag of United States Los Angeles FC
040 00(5)
146 0(42)
176 0(81)
020 0(11)
012 0(2)
394 (141)   
National team
2005–2006
2006
2006–2008
2006–2022
Flag of Wales Wales U17
Flag of Wales Wales U19
Flag of Wales Wales U21
Flag of Wales Wales
0000(1)
0000(1)
0000(2)
111 0(41)

Gareth Frank Bale MBE (born 16 July 1989) is a Welsh former professional footballer who played as a winger. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wingers of his generation and one of the greatest Welsh players of all time.

Bale began his professional career at Southampton, playing at left-back and earning acclaim as a free kick specialist. Bale moved to Tottenham Hotspur in 2007, for an eventual £7 million fee. During his time at Tottenham, managerial and tactical shifts saw him transform into a more attacking player. From the 2009–10 season, under the guidance of Harry Redknapp, Bale became an integral part of the team, rising to international attention during the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League. In 2011 and 2013 he was named PFA Players' Player of the Year, and was named in the UEFA Team of the Year. In 2013, he was also named PFA Young Player of the Year, the FWA Footballer of the Year and the Premier League Player of the Season. He was nominated to the PFA Team of the Year three times in a row between 2011 and 2013.

On 1 September 2013, Bale was transferred to Real Madrid for an undisclosed fee. Press at the time reported the transfer value at figures between €91 million and €100 million. In January 2016, documents pertaining to the transfer were leaked which confirmed a then-world record transfer fee of €100.8 million, eclipsing the previous record fee of £80 million (€94 million) the club paid for Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009. Bale played an integral role in his first season at Real Madrid, helping the club to win the 2013–14 Copa del Rey and UEFA Champions League, scoring in both finals. The following season, he won the UEFA Super Cup and scored in a third major final to help the club win the FIFA Club World Cup. Two years later, he was a key player in another Champions League run, winning the 2015–16 title and being elected to the UEFA Squad of the Season. He was also a finalist in the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award, and was named Man of the Match as he scored an overhead kick in the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final.

Bale made his senior international debut for Wales in May 2006, becoming the youngest player at that point to represent the nation. He has since earned over 80 caps and scored 33 international goals, making him Wales' highest scorer of all time. He was the top scorer for Wales in their successful qualifying campaign for UEFA Euro 2016, scoring seven goals; he subsequently represented his nation in the final tournament as they reached the semi-finals, scoring three goals. He has been named Welsh Footballer of the Year a record six times. In 2016, ESPN ranked Bale twelfth on its list of the world's most famous athletes.

Honours[]

Clubs[]

Southampton Academy
  • Premier Academy League: 2005–06
Tottenham Hotspur
Real Madrid
Los Angeles FC

Individual[]

  • Football League Championship PFA Team of the Year: 2006–07
  • Football League Young Player of the Year: 2007
  • FAW Young Player of the Year: 2007
  • Tottenham Hotspur Young Player of the Year: 2009–10,> 2010–11
  • Wales Player of the Year Award: 2010, 2013, 2014
  • BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year: 2010
  • BBC Wales Carwyn James Junior Sportsman of the Year: 2006
  • Premier League PFA Team of the Year: 2010–11, |2011–12, 2012–13
  • FWA Footballer of the Year: 2012–13
  • PFA Players' Player of the Year: 2010–11, 2012–13
  • PFA Young Player of the Year: 2012–13
  • UEFA Team of the Year: 2011, 2013
  • Premier League Player of the Month: April 2010, January 2012, February 2013

External links[]

Football Association of Wales logo
Flag of Wales Wales
Football Association of Wales logo
Wales – UEFA Euro 2016 – semi-finalists

1. Hennessey 2. Gunter 3. Taylor 4. Davies 5. Chester 6. A. Williams 7. Allen 8. King 9. Robson-Kanu 10. Ramsey 11. Bale 12. Fôn Williams 13. G. Williams 14. Edwards 15. Richards 16. Ledley 17. Cotterill 18. Vokes 19. Collins 20. J. Williams 21. Ward 22. Vaughan 23. Church Manager:  Flag of Wales Chris Coleman

Football Association of Wales logo
Wales – UEFA Euro 2020 – Round of 16

1. Hennessey 2. Gunter 3. N. Williams 4. B. Davies 5. Lockyer 6. Rodon 7. Allen 8. Wilson 9. T. Roberts 10. Ramsey 11. Bale (c) 12. Ward 13. Moore 14. C. Roberts 15. Ampadu 16. Morrell 17. Norrington-Davies 18. J. Williams 19. Brooks 20. James 21. A. Davies 22. Mepham 23. Levitt 24. Cabango 25. Colwill 26. Smith Manager:  Flag of Wales Rob Page

Football Association of Wales logo
Wales – 2022 FIFA World Cup – Group stage

1. Hennessey 2. Gunter 3. N. Williams 4. B. Davies 5. Mepham 6. Rodon 7. Allen 8. Wilson 9. Johnson 10. Ramsey 11. Bale (c) 12. Ward 13. Moore 14. Roberts 15. Ampadu 16. Morrell 17. Lockyer 18. J. Williams 19. Harris 20. James 21. A. Davies 22. Thomas 23. Levitt 24. Cabango 25. Colwill 26. Smith Manager:  Flag of Wales Rob Page

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