Good news: A player who announced his retirement will have another opportunity to play for Tottenham.
Hanging up his boots is one of the greatest players in Tottenham Hotspur history. Gareth Bale ended a career that began at Southampton’s academy, followed him to Tottenham, and culminated at Real Madrid by announcing his retirement from club and international football on social media today.
I sensed that Bale was about to retire, but I thought it would only apply to his international career. Last month in Qatar, Bale fulfilled a lifelong dream of his own by playing football for Wales in the World Cup. While the experience didn’t turn out exactly as he had hoped, it was still a nice way to cap off his career. Bale, who signed a one-year contract with the option of an extension last June, is retiring from the Los Angeles Football Club in Major League Soccer.
It’s probably safe to say that Gareth Bale was the reason some Tottenham players of a certain age were able to join the team. Bale transformed from an unfortunate left back with a “curse” that saw the team lose every time he played for Spurs to one of the best attackers in world football under Harry Redknapp and Andre Villas-Boas. When he was at his best, he was an absolute pleasure to watch as he led the Spurs to victory and scored some amazing goals.
His sad but anticipated move to Real Madrid allowed Spurs to acquire Christian Eriksen, Erik Lamela, and the other members of the “Bale Seven” for then-record transfer money. Though it seems a little dated now, the Spurs’ decision to “buy the Beatles and sell Elvis” was a turning point in the previous ten years.
Bale never experienced the same level of affection or recognition at Madrid as he did at Tottenham Hotspur. One of my biggest regrets is that during the COVID-19 shutdown year in 2020, he made his one-season return to Spurs under Jose Mourinho. This meant that Tottenham fans never saw him play or score for Spurs in person, and even in his “golden years,” Mourinho’s tactics never really suited Bale, who was largely benched.
The ascent of Bale, the first true global superstar of Tottenham in the modern era, was fascinating to watch and experience. Do you recall his breakthrough performance in the Champions League 4-3 defeat to Inter Milan? He joined the team just when Tottenham needed him, and he helped make Spurs a major force in the Premier League.
Gareth can now focus on his other passion, golf. Is he going to get a PGA card soon? (Perhaps not the tour with LIV.).
I cherished him. I still do. I hope the best for him in his future endeavors. Gareth, I’m grateful for everything.
