Glass Dragons Still Breathe Fire - The Gareth Bale Thread

I'd rather Bale not attend CL celebrations at the Bernabeu if a section of fans are gonna boo when he gets introduced. It's the day of celebration and I don't want that to be a headline as well.

 

Is he retiring? Back to spurs? MLS?

 

meh doesn't equal total failure.

Respect for past achievements can only hold so far, when you are either calling sick or phoning it in for years (will not mention his wages while doing so, since this is on us after all).

The only way his overall time here is average (hence meh) instead of Hazard-level is because of his past achievements with the team, which no one can deny.

He is gone now anyway. Pointless discussion. Thanks, bye, and good luck.

 

I think he got as nice as a sendoff as possible, don't think I heard any boos(unless they just turned the music up louder when he came out).

 

I was also afraid of this happening, but luckily, everything turned out just fine. He even got some standing ovations.

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Thanks for everything Gareth, especially that goal VS Barca in Copa del Rey... Thinking back, damn, those were dark times.

 

This is good, he has done what he has done and that’s on him, it’s he who will have to live with that.

This is classy from the Bernabeu fans, to someone from 2014 to 2018 had a phenomenal career and time with us.

 

I'm happy he got a warm send-off. He'll always be remember for the amazing and magical goals he scored for us. He said this was his boyhood dream club, and he actually had the resolve to follow through on his dreams of playing there. Only now do we appreciate what players have to do to make their dreams come true. When he came, he put his best foot forward for the large majority of his time at the Bernabeu. Whether it was injuries, or a souring relationship with the spanish media, eventually he became a bit of a distant thought for some fans. But his accomplishments speak for themselves. He had key contributions and goals in some of Real Madrid's most important trophies, including the three-peat.

It is often highlighted how British players don't generally like to leave for Spain because of the language barrier, and there are rarely many before him who succeeded at an impressive career there. He smashed those expectations and did more than many ever thought he could. He leaves Real Madrid as one of only a handful of players to have won 5 Champions league trophies and one of the most decorated British/Welsh footballers of all time. He leaves with a respectable 81 goals in 176 appearances.

When the Spanish media couldn't find things to paint him poorly with, they started poking for holes like his love of golf or his shyness from speaking Spanish. Many people, including his teammates, routinely defended him because he was a genuinely good guy. His agent would put words in his mouth or say things that would enrage the fandom, and Gareth wouldn't come out to apologize or correct the tone set. The worst one of course was not apologizing for the infamous "wales, golf, madrid" flag. It was brought on the pitch by one of his welsh teammates (probably a nobody in footballing terms) and Bale was seen smiling with his team without realizing the repercussions. He may look back somewhere in the distant future at how things ended at Madrid and wish he had handled it differently. Still, he always seemed like a humble and quiet person who was a home-body. I would rather have a footballer like him in the white shirt than a Neymar or Suarez.

Still, I will definitely have a lot of fond memories of him. As I am sure most Madridistas will. Gareth Bale in full flight was still a fearsome and impressive sight to behold. He had pace, a sick cut back, a left foot made of gold dust, he could do headers, curling free kicks, impressive and athletic bicycle kicks. He was a top talent, which had it not been for injuries might have been even more extra-ordinary.

Thanks for everything Gareth!

 

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It has been an honour. Thank you! #HALAMADRID @RealMadrid pic.twitter.com/T7FL2LNRrD

— Gareth Bale (@GarethBale11) June 1, 2022

 

One of the greatest attacking players in Real Madrid history,he is greater then guys like Figo,Mijatovic,Morienste etc for me who are legends in their own right .

He scored "the winner" for La decima making it 2-1,in 2016 he was the best player in the semis forcing the own goal for City and the most dangerous player in the final im still not convinced that Ramos touched the ball in the final so maybe Bale scored in 2016 as well.2018 he scored the greatest/second greatest goal in a CL final.

The copa del rey final goal is probably the most iconic scored by a Real Madrid player in the competition in decades.Goals/assists in Club world cups,European super cup finals .

Thanks for the memories and i hope that in years time when he go on the pitch at the Bernabeu playing in a legends game ,the Bernabeu will welcome him with huge aplause .....and maybe he will score a bicycle kick.

 

🤍🐲 @GarethBale11 pic.twitter.com/sUWnSyYpxO

— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) June 1, 2022

Gracias, @GarethBale11! 🐲🤍 pic.twitter.com/TijGBltcqg

— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) June 1, 2022

 

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Nino Productions did this edit for Bale.

Privileged and honored to have done this!

Gareth became many fans favourite player since his first months in Real Madrid & now he is leaving as a legend.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!

Hala Madrid! 🤍 https://t.co/Lwrqm7Q9cB

— Nino (@NinoProYT) June 1, 2022

 

This vs Zidane as best UCL final goals.

 

Some incredibly high moments in this video. What a talent at his best.

Thanks for the good times, Gareth

 

He left after the chilena. What we saw these last few years was a retired footballer.

 

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Bale family. #rmalive pic.twitter.com/fqUZh6oawl

— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) June 1, 2022

 

All of this shit just makes me sadder that the relationship deteriorated the way it did. Dude should be leaving an absolute club legend. What a player on his day.

I didn’t know what to do with myself in the moment after that bicycle kick. I found myself on my knees doing on a power slide on a tile floor.

So long and thanks for some unbelievable memories.

 

Bale himself spoke about how that Zizou volley against Leverkusen was his favorite goal. Zizou said that Bale's overhead volley was better. It was beautiful to see the compliments come full circle.

 

Nice. I think he will go to Newcastle.

 

Official Announcement: @GarethBale11.#RealMadrid

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) June 1, 2022

Real Madrid would like to express its sincere gratitude and affection to Gareth Bale, a player who will forever be part of the club's legacy.

Since he joined Real Madrid on 2 September 2013 at the age of 24, he has experienced one of the most glorious eras in our history. During his time at Real Madrid, he has collected 19 trophies: five European Cups, four Club World Cups, three UEFA Super Cups, three LaLiga titles, one Copa del Rey and three Spanish Super Cups. On an individual level, he was named Best Player of the 2018 Champions League Final and won the Golden Ball at the Club World Cup in the same year.

In addition to his impressive silverware, Gareth Bale will be remembered by all Real Madrid fans for his wonderful and decisive goals such as his unforgettable header in the Champions League final in Lisbon, his amazing solo run in the final of the Copa del Rey in Valencia and his iconic overhead kick in the final of the Champions League in Kiev, where we secured La Decimotercera.

Real Madrid is and always will be his home, and we would like to wish him and all his family the best of luck for the future.

 

Better that than 2nd division Cardiff City, even though he'll be closer to home. I wish him well either way. He still has something left to give I think, but his focus is solely on Wales. That last bit left a bitter taste for many fans who wanted him to play el clasico, not that he would've made a difference. But the optics was poor.

Anyways, the Welsh national team plays their WC finals Qualifier against Scotland/Ukraine on Sunday, after that Bale might retire from the national team if they don't make it to the world cup.

I get chills from that video. How lucky we are to have gotten to watch him play.

He joined with the ambition to win champions leagues and he got rewarded with 5 of them, one of only 10 to have won that many as a player. Dreams fulfilled. Memories made.

 

RM's official tribute.

 

This view of Gareth Bale’s bicycle kick vs Liverpool is a masterpiece.

pic.twitter.com/HixpaFVaH7

— TC (@totalcristiano) June 1, 2022

 

🎖 Gareth Bale has been awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for services to football and charity. 👏 pic.twitter.com/FUOua3Meei

— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) June 1, 2022