The last football season turned out to be spectacular and generous with sensations. The stands were filled to capacity, all large-scale tournaments were held according to the calendar, and the qualifying tournament for the World Cup in November gathered millions of fans on television.
The transfer window is currently open. Some clubs have signed contracts in advance with the players they are interested in, others are waiting until the last minute in the hope of more favourable terms of cooperation. In tips for beginners in sports betting, it is often advised to prepare thoroughly before placing statistical bets.
This summer, Gareth Bale’s contract with Real Madrid came to its logical conclusion. As it turned out, both sides are satisfied with what is happening and, despite recent serious misunderstandings, do not hold a grudge against each other.
The star wasn’t interested in lucrative offers
It would seem that at the age of 32, it must be difficult for a football player to start everything from scratch in a new team. However, after Gareth was recognized as a free agent, invitations to cooperation from top clubs literally rained down on him. For such cases, statistical sports betting even provides a separate selection. But Gareth and his agent are in no hurry to make a final decision.
First in line for the football star was the English Cardiff City. Since Gareth is from the city of the same name, it is logical to assume that this is a great option. All close relatives of the athlete live there. However, according to Jonathan Barnett, he has not yet discussed such a prospect with Bale.
After 9 years spent in Madrid, Gareth has already got used to this city. Here he has a home, friends and familiar surroundings. Therefore, the interview with Getafe is still at the top of the list. In an interview, Spanish club president Axel Torres Sanchez admitted that he had a conversation with Bale’s agent. The initiative came from Barnett, who offered the club the services of a football player.
The situation ceased to be ordinary when Bale’s agent publicly stated that he could not contact the Getafe president in any way since he simply did not have the necessary phone number. During the interview, a smile did not leave Jonathan Barnett’s face, so it is impossible to determine the true motives for such behaviour.
A great start to his career in the Spanish club
Having signed a contract with Madrid in 2013, he immediately set a very high standard. A year later, Bale helped his new team to get 10 Champions League Cups, as well as the Spanish Cup. The following year, he actively participated in the UEFA Super Cup: thanks to his talent, the team added one to the list of trophies.
For two years in a row, Bale was considered one of the leading players in Real Madrid. His game was clear and spectacular, which was the reason for the nomination of an athlete for the title of “Best Player of the Year in Europe”. Together with the team, he won 4 times in the Champions League.
During his time with Real Madrid, Gareth personally scored 106 goals and provided 67 assists. Despite serious health problems, he played 256 full matches on the field.
Gareth Bale: Wales. Golf. Madrid.
Despite the excellent playing performance, not everyone was happy to see Bale at the forefront of Real Madrid. There were many reasons for this:
- the transaction amount exceeded the figure of 101 million euros, which at that time was a new record;
- already at that time, Bale wasn’t in excellent physical shape: the athlete suffered from numerous knee, ankle, and back injuries.
- in 2013, Cristiano Ronaldo was at his peak and broke one record after another. Due to his calm nature and sincere smile, he quickly became everyone’s favourite. The appearance of such a strong player as Gareth could hurt the leader’s game.
During the first 2 years, the administration and the fans seemed pretty happy with how he played. And then a sharp rise was replaced by an endless plateau: Bale was lost among ordinary football players. His last goal-scoring game was 4 years ago when the team performed in the Champions League final. Then a double against Liverpool led the team to victory.
Endless injuries, problems with the general health condition and the coronavirus infection caused a sick leave of 147 days over the past season. This means that Bale has missed 34 important games. And payment for medical services has become another source of expenditure.
However, this is not the reason for the negative attitude towards the footballer. It is impossible to hate a person just because he is trying to maintain his health. But the thing is that immediately after the missed Real Madrid game, he appeared on the Wales national team and looked absolutely healthy and energetic.
He was repeatedly criticized by colleagues, fans and even journalists for such behaviour. In his Marca sports column, Julio Manuel compared the star striker to a parasite who uses Madrid for personal benefit. With an annual salary of $30 million, the public’s discontent is understandable.
It is worth noting that Bale did not leave it unanswered and, at every opportunity, emphasized an indifferent attitude to the club’s affairs and the fans’ opinion about him. When he was asked about his priorities, Bale replied, “Wales. Golf. Madrid”.
He even missed the celebration arranged for the team’s players for the victory in the Spanish championship. Citing intense back pain, Gareth congratulated his colleagues on social media.
The club’s management has repeatedly tried to break off relations with the footballer, but the contract signed in 2016 did not give any opportunities for this. Gareth Bale continued the “double” game even after a major conflict with head coach Zinedine Zidane.
Participation in the Wales national team
But playing for his national team brings Bale real pleasure. Despite an unsuccessful game at Real Madrid, the Wales team still considers him a team leader. And he willingly confirms this title.
In the game with representatives of Austria, he scored 2 goals against the opponent, thanks to which his team won with a score of 2:1. After the end of regular time, Bale showed the country’s coat of arms to the camera and grinned.
With his help, Wales won the Ukrainian national team and, for the first time in 64 years, got the opportunity to participate in the World Cup. For all football lovers, it is clear that Gareth’s club career has ended. It is unlikely that he has already shown the world everything he is capable of.
We are looking forward to his brilliant performances at the World Championships.
