Gareth Bale announced his retirement from club and international football on Monday, ending one of the most decorated careers in British football history.
Bale, who made a record 111 appearances for Wales, guided his country from international football obscurity to two European Championships (including reaching the Euro 2016 semi-finals) and a first World Cup since 1958.
The Los Angeles FC attacker, who formerly played for Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, and Real Madrid, made his final competitive appearance on November 29 against England in Wales’ World Cup group-stage match.
“I announce my immediate retirement from club and international football after long and thorough contemplation,” Bale posted on his social media platforms.
“I consider myself extremely lucky to have realised my ambition of playing the sport I like.” It has definitely provided me with some of the most memorable experiences of my life. No matter what the next chapter has in store for me, the highest of highs over 17 seasons will be hard to recreate.
Bale rose to prominence in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur before joining Real Madrid in 2013, where he won five Champions League championships.
In his brief time in the United States, the attacker won the MLS Cup with Los Angeles FC in June 2022.
From my first touch at Southampton to my final match with LAFC, and everything in between, I established a club career that I am incredibly proud of and grateful for.”
“It feels hard to express my gratitude to everyone who has contributed to this journey,” he continued. I am grateful to many individuals for assisting me in bettering my life and developing my profession in ways I could never have envisioned when I first started out at the age of nine.” The Los Angeles Football Club paid tribute to their legendary forward.
“We’d want to thank Gareth for everything he’s done for our club,” LAFC co-president and general manager John Thorrington said. “He came here with the goal of winning trophies in Los Angeles, and he accomplished it, as he has done throughout his career.” “It was an honour to see one of his generation’s most brilliant, dynamic, and entertaining players finish his career with a title for LAFC.”
“Congratulations on a fantastic career,” Tottenham tweeted.
Gareth Bale has retired from football.
