Garth Bale was once recognised as one of the best players on the planet. Electrifying performances for Tottenham, including revered showings against Inter Milan in the Champions League, led to the Welsh wizard winning a plethora of individual awards since 2011.
In his spell in England with Tottenham, Bale won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year twice, in 2011 and 2013, respectively, was named in the PFA Team of the Year for 2011, 2012, and 2013, and the UEFA Team of the Year for 2011 and 2013.
Plus, that’s not even close to listing all of his achievements during this time.
The move to Madrid
All of this led to the winger attracting interest from the biggest clubs in Europe. Ultimately, it was Spanish giants Real Madrid who landed Bale on the 1st September, 2013. They ended up paying over €100 million for the Welshman – a then-world record transfer fee, one that eclipsed the €94 million Madrid spent on all-time great Cristiano Ronaldo four years previously.
While Ronaldo more than justified his price tag, the same cannot be said for Bale. In fact, in certain circles, he has been deemed a Real Madrid flop. This is further magnified by Bale’s eye-watering high wages.
According to research conducted by CashLady, he’s among the top six active players to have the biggest net worth. His $125 million total is supported by a reported £350,000-a-week pay packet (after tax) at Madrid.
So what went wrong?
Starting at the top
Well, Bale didn’t quite start at the top. Fitness issues blighted the beginning of his career at Madrid. In popular national sports newspaper Marca, they slated Bales lacklustre showings with the following description: “Bale doesn’t know how to play football. He only knows how to run.”
By the end of the season, however, Bale was celebrated as a hero. In the Copa del Rey final against main rivals Barcelona, the Welshman netted a wonder goal to secure the trophy, and at the time, it was deemed that this performance was the one that made Bale a superstar. This was followed up by a goal in the Champions League final that led his side to Europe’s biggest club prize.
The injury decay
Remember the fitness issues which hampered Bale’s start at Real Madrid? These only began to multiply as time went on. This was evidenced by his third season at the club. He scored only nine goals in 27 appearances, and he spent most of the 2016 UEFA Champions League Final on the bench.
His uneasy relationship with manager Zinedine Zidane hasn’t helped his position at Madrid. Transfer rumours have persisted over the years, and the fans have grown increasingly hostile towards Bale.
Yet despite all the troubles, the Welshman has continued to deliver fleeting success. The main highlight in that regard was undoubtedly his performance in the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final.
Bale, who started on the bench, ended up scoring two goals – including an overhead kick regarded as one of the greatest goals ever in a major final – and winning the man of the match award.
Conclusion
Although the 30-year-old’s career at Real Madrid seems to be winding down, it would be harsh to list him as a ‘flop’. Yes, his performances have degraded as the seasons have gone on.
Yet when you consider his moments of major success – aka those cup final goals – it’s hard to deny the positive influence he has had in helping Madrid win numerous trophies.