Gareth Bale facts for kids
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Bale with Wales at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gareth Frank Bale | ||
| Date of birth | 16 July 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Cardiff, Wales | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.86 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Right winger, forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Cardiff Civil Service | |||
| 1999–2006 | Southampton | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006–2007 | Southampton | 40 | (5) |
| 2007–2013 | Tottenham Hotspur | 146 | (42) |
| 2013–2022 | Real Madrid | 176 | (81) |
| 2020–2021 | → Tottenham Hotspur (loan) | 20 | (11) |
| 2022 | Los Angeles FC | 12 | (2) |
| Total | 394 | (141) | |
| International career | |||
| 2005–2006 | Wales U17 | 7 | (1) |
| 2006 | Wales U19 | 1 | (1) |
| 2006–2008 | Wales U21 | 4 | (2) |
| 2006–2022 | Wales | 111 | (41) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Gareth Frank Bale (born 16 July 1989) is a Welsh former professional footballer. He played as a right winger for famous clubs like Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid. He was also a star player for the Wales national team.
Many people think he is one of the best players of his generation and the greatest Welsh player ever. He was known for his incredible speed, powerful shots, and amazing goals. In 2022, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his work in football and with charities.
Bale started his career at Southampton as a left-back. He moved to Tottenham in 2007 and became a winger, where he became a star. In 2013, Real Madrid paid a world-record fee of £85.1 million to sign him. At Madrid, he formed a famous attacking trio called BBC with Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
With Real Madrid, Bale won five UEFA Champions League titles. He scored in two finals, including an incredible overhead kick in the 2018 final. After a successful career, he retired from football in January 2023.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Gareth Bale was born in Cardiff, Wales. His uncle, Chris Pike, was also a professional footballer. From a young age, Bale was a talented athlete. He played football, rugby, and hockey, and was also a fast runner. At 14, he could run the 100-metre sprint in just 11.4 seconds.
He went to Whitchurch High School in Cardiff. His PE teacher saw how skilled he was at football and made special rules for him in class. Bale was only allowed to play with one touch and could not use his stronger left foot. This was to make it fairer for the other students.
Even at 16, he helped his school's under-18 team win a cup. He was noticed by Southampton when he was only nine years old. He left school in 2005 to follow his dream of becoming a professional footballer.
Club Career
Southampton
Bale made his first appearance for Southampton on 17 April 2006, when he was just 16 years old. He became the second-youngest player in the club's history. He soon became known for scoring goals from free kicks.
He scored five goals for Southampton and was named the Football League Young Player of the Year in 2007. His great performances caught the eye of bigger clubs. In total, he played 45 games for Southampton before moving on.
Tottenham Hotspur
In May 2007, Bale signed for Tottenham Hotspur. At first, he had some injuries that kept him from playing. But under manager Harry Redknapp, he was moved from a defender to a winger. This change helped him become one of the best players in the world.
Becoming a Star (2009–2011)
During the 2009–10 season, Bale started to show his amazing talent. He scored important goals against rivals like Arsenal and Chelsea. He was named Premier League Player of the Month for April 2010.
The next season, he played in the UEFA Champions League for the first time. On 20 October 2010, he scored a hat-trick (three goals in one game) against the European champions, Inter Milan. Even though Tottenham lost 4–3, everyone was talking about Bale's performance. In 2011, he was voted the PFA Players' Player of the Year by other players.
Final Seasons at Tottenham (2011–2013)
Bale continued to be a key player for Tottenham. In the 2012–13 season, he was in incredible form, scoring 26 goals. He scored many long-range goals and amazing free kicks.
His performances were so good that he won many awards at the end of the season. He was named PFA Players' Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year, and FWA Footballer of the Year. He was only the second player ever to win all three in the same season, after Cristiano Ronaldo.
Real Madrid
On 1 September 2013, Bale joined Real Madrid for a world-record fee of £85.1 million (€100.8 million). He was given the number 11 shirt.
First Seasons and Famous Goals (2013–2015)
Bale scored on his debut for Real Madrid. In his first season, he helped the team win the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. He scored the winning goal in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona. He ran half the length of the pitch, even going off the field, to score.
He also scored a crucial goal in the Champions League final against Atlético Madrid. This made him the first Welshman to score in a Champions League final. The attacking trio of Bale, Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo (the BBC) scored 97 goals together that season.
Champions League Success (2015–2018)
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Bale continued to win trophies with Real Madrid. He helped the team win the Champions League again in 2016 and 2017. Although he had some injuries, he often played a big part in important games.
In the 2018 Champions League final against Liverpool, Bale scored two goals after coming on as a substitute. His first goal was a stunning overhead kick that is considered one of the best goals in the history of the competition. Real Madrid won 3–1, and Bale was named man of the match.
Final Years in Madrid
After 2018, Bale's time at Real Madrid had ups and downs. He scored his 100th goal for the club in 2019. He won the La Liga title in 2020.
For the 2020–21 season, he returned to Tottenham on loan. He scored 16 goals for his old club before going back to Madrid for his final season. He left Real Madrid in 2022 after winning five Champions League trophies and many other titles.
Los Angeles FC and Retirement
In June 2022, Bale moved to the United States to play for Los Angeles FC in MLS. He helped the team win the MLS Cup. In the final match, he scored a dramatic goal in the last few seconds of extra time to tie the game 3–3. His team then won in a penalty shootout.
On 9 January 2023, after playing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Bale announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 33.
International Career
Wales
Bale made his debut for the Wales national team on 27 May 2006. At 16 years old, he was the youngest player ever to play for Wales at the time. Later that year, he also became Wales's youngest-ever goalscorer.
Over his career, he played 111 times for Wales and scored 41 goals. This makes him the player with the most appearances (caps) and the all-time top goalscorer for the Welsh national team.
Euro 2016
Bale was the hero of Wales's journey to UEFA Euro 2016. He scored seven goals in the qualifying matches to help Wales reach its first major tournament since the 1958 FIFA World Cup.
At the tournament, Bale scored in all three group games, including two free kicks. He led Wales on a surprise run to the semi-finals, where they lost to Portugal, the eventual champions.
World Cup 2022
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Bale's biggest dream was to play in a World Cup with Wales. In 2022, he made that dream come true. He scored two goals against Austria and the winning goal against Ukraine in the play-off matches. This sent Wales to the World Cup for the first time in 64 years.
At the World Cup in Qatar, Bale scored Wales's only goal of the tournament. It was a penalty kick against the United States.
Player Profile
Bale started as a left-back but became a world-class left winger. He was famous for his incredible speed, which allowed him to run past defenders easily. He also had a very powerful left-foot shot and was an expert at taking free kicks.
Many great players and managers have praised Bale. He has been described as a footballer with "tremendous speed, great crossing ability, a great left foot and exceptional physical qualities." During his time at Real Madrid, he often played as a right winger, which allowed him to cut inside and shoot with his stronger left foot.
Outside Football
Bale is married to his high-school sweetheart, Emma Rhys-Jones. They have four children together. In 2022, he was awarded an MBE for his services to football and charity. He has donated money to hospitals and other causes.
Bale is also a very keen golfer. He even has a replica of a famous golf hole in his back garden. His love for golf became a popular topic among football fans.
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Southampton | 2005–06 | Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2006–07 | Championship | 38 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 43 | 5 | ||
| Total | 40 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 45 | 5 | |||
| Tottenham Hotspur | 2007–08 | Premier League | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 12 | 3 | |
| 2008–09 | Premier League | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 30 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 | Premier League | 23 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 3 | |||
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 30 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 4 | — | 41 | 11 | ||
| 2011–12 | Premier League | 36 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 42 | 12 | ||
| 2012–13 | Premier League | 33 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 3 | — | 44 | 26 | ||
| Total | 146 | 42 | 16 | 3 | 10 | 2 | 31 | 8 | — | 203 | 55 | |||
| Real Madrid | 2013–14 | La Liga | 27 | 15 | 5 | 1 | — | 12 | 6 | — | 44 | 22 | ||
| 2014–15 | La Liga | 31 | 13 | 2 | 0 | — | 10 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 48 | 17 | ||
| 2015–16 | La Liga | 23 | 19 | 0 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | — | 31 | 19 | |||
| 2016–17 | La Liga | 19 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 9 | ||
| 2017–18 | La Liga | 26 | 16 | 2 | 1 | — | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 39 | 21 | ||
| 2018–19 | La Liga | 29 | 8 | 3 | 0 | — | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 42 | 14 | ||
| 2019–20 | La Liga | 16 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 3 | ||
| 2021–22 | La Liga | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | ||
| Total | 176 | 81 | 13 | 3 | — | 57 | 16 | 12 | 6 | 258 | 106 | |||
| Tottenham Hotspur (loan) | 2020–21 | Premier League | 20 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 3 | — | 34 | 16 | |
| Los Angeles FC | 2022 | MLS | 12 | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 13 | 3 | |||
| Career total | 394 | 141 | 32 | 7 | 15 | 3 | 98 | 27 | 14 | 7 | 553 | 185 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wales | 2006 | 4 | 1 |
| 2007 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2008 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 6 | 3 | |
| 2012 | 5 | 3 | |
| 2013 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2014 | 5 | 3 | |
| 2015 | 6 | 5 | |
| 2016 | 11 | 7 | |
| 2017 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 6 | 5 | |
| 2019 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 13 | 3 | |
| 2022 | 11 | 5 | |
| Total | 111 | 41 | |
Honours
Tottenham Hotspur
- Football League Cup: 2007–08
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 2016–17, 2019–20, 2021–22
- Copa del Rey: 2013–14
- Supercopa de España: 2017
- UEFA Champions League: 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2021–22
- UEFA Super Cup: 2014, 2016, 2017
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2014, 2017, 2018
Los Angeles FC
- MLS Cup: 2022
- Supporters' Shield: 2022
Individual
- PFA Players' Player of the Year: 2010–11, 2012–13
- PFA Young Player of the Year: 2012–13
- FWA Footballer of the Year: 2012–13
- Premier League Player of the Season: 2012–13
- Welsh Footballer of the Year: 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
- UEFA Team of the Year: 2011, 2013
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2015–16
- FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2018
- BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year: 2010
Orders
- Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE): 2022
See also
In Spanish: Gareth Bale para niños
- List of top international men's football goal scorers by country
- List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
