Gareth Bale has revealed that he made the decision to retire from football at the age of just 33 due to his father suddenly becoming sick – saying he ‘realised there is more to life than just football.’
The Wales legend, who is his nation’s most-capped player of all time and record goalscorer, stunned the footballing world when he announced that he would be hanging up his boots in January 2023.
His decision came in the immediate aftermath of Wales crashing out of the Qatar World Cup in 2022, after finishing rock bottom of a group which contained England, USA and Iran.
‘I feel incredibly fortunate to have realised my dream of playing the sport I love. It has truly given me some of the best moments of my life,’ the former Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid star said at the time.
Playing across the pond for Los Angeles FC, Bale ended a glittering career with his side winning their first MLS Cup – the final winners medal to be added to his collection alongside five Champions League titles and many, many others.
And now, speaking for the first time about why he thought it was time to call it a day, the once-most expensive footballer in the world told how his father Frank becoming unwell meant he had to switch his focus off the pitch.
‘My dad got ill and that played a massive role in my decision,’ Bale told GQ Magazine. ‘People don’t know what anyone’s going through at home but I soon realised there’s more to life than just football.’
Bale did not reveal the extent of Frank’s illness but he has long hailed the importance of his father, a former school caretaker from the Whitchurch area of Cardiff, in the past.
‘[My dad] sacrificed everything when I was younger,’ Bale said after his second-last game for Wales, during which he scored a late penalty to secure a point against the USA at the World Cup.
‘He took me everywhere. Without my dad and my parents, I wouldn’t be where I am today.’
In his latest interview, Bale said that there are things he wishes ‘had gone differently’ during his career, such as his ultimate dream of leading Wales to a World Cup trophy.
But he admitted he would ‘never have believed’ the success that a ‘kid from Cardiff who comes from a normal family’ would go on to achieve.
‘I achieved so much in my career so playing in a World Cup was pretty much the last thing that I wanted to achieve,’ Bale continued.
‘It didn’t go amazingly well for us, but it was the first time in 64 years. After that, I didn’t feel like I had anything else left to achieve, goal-wise.’
In a wide-ranging conversation, conducted on a golf course, Bale also discussed the end of his career in Madrid and the supposed misconception about how much time he spent on the green.
The now-36-year-old, who was signed by the Spanish giants from Spurs for a then-record fee of around £80million in 2013, came in for criticism by the press about what they felt to be his lack of commitment to the team.
Bale once held aloft a flag which read ‘Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order,’ after his nation qualified for Euro 2020.
However, the former winger now claims that he ‘never used to play golf that much’ and would only pick up his clubs ‘once every two to three weeks’ – and always ‘on a day off’.
His relationship with the Spanish press, though, went on to sour over the years and Bale admitted that some of their judgements of his performances did have an effect on him.
He also denied any suggestions that his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo was fractured during his time at the Bernabeu, a narrative which had been widely reported at the time.
The eventual relationship breakdown at Madrid, however, saw him make an emotional loan return to Tottenham during the 2020-21 season, but no fans could attend to see their former hero play again due to the COVID pandemic leaving stadiums empty.
No permanent move back to Spurs – where he spent six years and was twice named footballer of the year – materialised though, and he made the final switch to the MLS where he played out his last days as a footballer.
Bale is widely regarded as Wales’ best ever player, and almost led them to the brink of greatness during Euro 2016, where they were beaten by eventual winners Portugal in the semi-final.
He scored 41 times in 111 international appearances for his national team. Across all of his clubs – including Southampton where he started out – Bale bagged an astonishing 185 goals and 133 assists in 554 games.
Bale is now set for more front-facing roles in the media, despite being a more reserved figure during his playing career, having been signed by TNT Sports as a contributor, as well as CBS Sports Golazo in a freelance capacity.
