Who is the £86 Million man
Full name: Gareth Frank Bale
Date of birth: 16 July 1989
Place of birth: Cardiff, Wales
Height: 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position: Winger/Attacking Midfielder
Gareth Frank Bale began his professional career at Southampton, playing at left back, earning acclaim as a free kick specialist. Since transferring to Spurs in 2007, managerial and tactical shifts have seen him transform into a more offensively-oriented player. Since the 2009–10 season, Bale has played an integral role in Tottenham’s success domestically and in the Champions League.
Bale has received plaudits from a number of managers such as José Mourinho and from fellow players who have described him as a footballer with “tremendous speed, great crossing ability, a great left foot and exceptional physical qualities”. During the 2012–13 season he was awarded the PFA Young Player of the Year, the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and the FWA Footballer of the Year awards.
Early and personal life
Bale was born in Cardiff, Wales, to parents Frank, a school caretaker, and Debbie, an operations manager, he attended Eglwys Newydd Primary School at Whitchurch. He is the nephew of former Cardiff City footballer Chris Pike. It was while at this school he first came to the attention of Southampton at age nine, when he was playing in a six-a-side tournament with his first club, Cardiff Civil Service Football Club. Growing up, his football hero was fellow Welshman and Manchester United player Ryan Giggs.
Bale attended Whitchurch High School in Cardiff. He was a keen athlete and played football alongside Wales flanker and captain Sam Warburton, rugby, hockey and excelled at athletics. As a 14 year old he says that he ran the 100 metre sprint in 11.4 seconds. Because of his superior footballing skill, the school’s PE teacher, Gwyn Morris, had to write special rules which restricted Bale to playing one-touch football and not using his left foot. Whilst at Whitchurch, Bale trained at Southampton’s satellite academy in Bath, although there was initially some doubt if Southampton would give him a scholarship due to his height.
Despite being only 16 at the time, he helped the school’s under-18 side win the Cardiff & Vale Senior Cup. He left school in the summer of 2005 with a Grade A in PE amongst his GCSE results. In his final year at school, he was awarded the PE department’s prize for services to sport. In the presentation, Morris commented:
“Gareth has a fierce determination to succeed and has the character and qualities to achieve his personal goals. He is one of the most unselfish individuals that I have had the pleasure to help educate.”
Bale lives in London with partner Emma Rhys-Jones, his high school sweetheart. Their first child, born at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff on 21 October 2012 was named Alba Violet.
Club career
Southampton
On 17 April 2006, at the age of 16 years and 275 days, Bale became the second youngest player ever to play for Southampton (after Theo Walcott, who was 132 days younger) when he made his debut in the Saints’ 2–0 victory against Millwall. On 6 August, Bale scored his first league goal, a free kick, to level the score at 1–1 against Derby County. The final score at Pride Park was 2–2.
He scored again, at St. Mary’s, against Coventry City in the team’s second game of the 2006–07 season with another free kick. Bale further developed his reputation as a free kick specialist when he struck the post from one against West Bromwich Albion. By 16 December 2006, Bale’s goal count had risen to five, thanks to a late equaliser against Sunderland and free-kicks away to Hull and at home to Norwich City.
In December 2006, he won the Carwyn James Award for the BBC Wales Young Sports Personality of the Year, and was named the Football League Young Player of the Year on 4 March 2007. This capped what was described in the local press as an “incredible” first full season as a professional footballer in which he was one of the Saints’ “most creative players even (though operating) from the left-back position whilst his defending improved immeasurably as the season progressed.”
His final game for Southampton was in the first leg of the Championship play-off semi-final against Derby County on 12 May 2007. Bale suffered an injury during the second half, preventing him from appearing in the second leg. In total, he made 45 appearances for Southampton, scoring five goals.
Tottenham Hotspur
On 25 May 2007, Bale signed a four-year deal with Tottenham Hotspur with Spurs paying an initial £5 million for Bale, potentially rising to £10 million based on appearances and success. However, Tottenham paid Southampton an early settlement payment of £2 million in 2008 to reduce the final fee to £7 million and allow the Saints the immediate cash that they desperately needed.
2007–08 Season
Bale played his first game for Spurs in a friendly against St. Patrick’s Athletic on 12 July 2007, but was substituted on the 80th minute with a minor dead-leg. He made his competitive debut for Tottenham Hotspur on 26 August away against Manchester United. In just his second Spurs appearance, he scored his first goal for Tottenham in the 3–3 draw with Fulham on 1 September when he latched on to Robbie Keane’s flick, charged down the left flank unopposed and coolly slotted past goalkeeper Antti Niemi. Bale went on to score again against Arsenal in the North London derby, scoring a free kick inside the near post. He then scored in the League Cup home tie against Middlesbrough, making it three goals in four starts for the then 18-year-old.
Bale was substituted after sustaining an injury resulting from a tackle from Fabrice Muamba in the league fixture against Birmingham City on 2 December 2007. A scan revealed that Bale had suffered ligament damage to his right ankle, consigning him to an extended period on the sidelines. Bale had exploratory surgery on 11 December 2007. By February 2008, it became clear that Bale was to miss the rest of the season through injury. Sporting Director, Damien Comolli said, “Even if the examination reveals that Gareth’s foot is stable, the decision has been taken to bring him back slowly to ensure he does not get a repeat of the injury or suffer any further damage. Gareth is obviously disappointed to be sidelined for this length of time but he is still young and we have to do what is best for him in the long run.”
2008–09 Season
Bale signed a new four-year deal with the club in August 2008. Bale was given the number 3 shirt for the 2008–09 season, which left previous number 3 Lee Young-Pyo without a squad number. After some poor performances, Bale was dropped in favour of Benoît Assou-Ekotto and the latter remained first-choice for most of the season.
2009–10 Season
In June 2009, Bale underwent surgery for a knee injury, ruling him out for over two months. He missed pre-season matches and it was projected that he would miss the first few weeks of the 2009–10 season. On 26 September, he made his comeback as an 85th minute substitute in Tottenham’s 5–0 thrashing of Burnley. This was Bale’s first ever involvement in a Premier League win, after playing a record 24 league matches for Spurs without being on the winning side. However, he endured a frustrating time on the bench as Benoît Assou-Ekotto was in good form. When Assou-Ekotto was sidelined with an injury, manager Harry Redknapp decided to give Bale a chance and he impressed in the Spurs’ FA Cup third-round 4–0 win over Peterborough. He finally tasted victory for the first time as a starter in a league game in the 2–0 win over London rivals Fulham on 26 January 2010.
Bale’s good form continued and he was named Player of the Round after helping the Spurs to a 3–1 win in the sixth round replay of the FA Cup against Fulham. In April 2010, Bale scored the winning goal in a 2–1 North London derby win against Arsenal, tapping past Manuel Almunia after a pass from Jermain Defoe. Three days later, Bale scored Tottenham’s winning goal with his weaker right foot in a 2–1 victory over league leaders and eventual champions Chelsea and was named Man of the Match. He was named Barclays Player of the Month for April 2010. He signed a new four-year contract at White Hart Lane on 7 May 2010 as a reward for helping the club reach the Champions League qualification place.
2010–11 Season
On 21 August, Bale scored twice in a 2–1 win at Stoke City, the second of which was a head-high volley into the top right hand corner of the goal. This was later awarded Goal of the Month for August 2010 by the BBC. On 25 August, Bale set up all four goals to help Spurs overcome Young Boys 4–0 (6–3 agg.) in a Champions League play-off at White Hart Lane. Although Assou-Ekotto had already returned from injury, Bale continued his good form and cemented his place in the starting eleven, moving forward to left wing to accommodate Assou-Ekotto at left back. On 29 September 2010, Bale scored his first Champions League goal for Tottenham in a 4–1 home win against Dutch champions FC Twente in their second game of the group stages. In recognition, he was named Welsh Player of the Year by the FAW.
On 20 October 2010, Bale scored his first senior hat trick against European champions Internazionale at the San Siro in the Champions League. Tottenham lost the match 4–3, having been 4–0 down inside the first 35 minutes and playing with ten men for over 80 minutes of the match after goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes had been sent off in the eighth minute for a professional foul on Inter’s Jonathan Biabiany. In the return match at White Hart Lane on 2 November, Bale provided a man of the match performance, setting up goals for Peter Crouch and Roman Pavlyuchenko to earn Spurs a memorable 3–1 win.
On 4 November, Bale stated that he intended to remain at Tottenham for the remainder of his recently-signed four-year contract, despite reported interest from other clubs. On 19 March 2011, Bale extended his stay at the club until 2015.
On 17 April 2011, Bale was honoured with the PFA Player of the Year award, as voted for by his peers.
2011–12 Season
Bale scored his first goal of the season on 24 September 2011, in an away game against Wigan Athletic. The game ended in a 2–1 victory for Tottenham. He added his second and third goals of the season on 30 October with two goals against Queens Park Rangers in a 3–1 home win. He continued his good form with the first goal in a 3–1 victory over Fulham the following week, whilst also setting up Aaron Lennon who made it 2–0 on the stroke of half time. The first goal against Fulham was later ruled by the “dubious goals committee” to be an own goal by Chris Baird.
On 3 December 2011, Bale scored the first goal in Tottenham’s 3–0 victory over Bolton Wanderers. He marked the goal with a tribute to Gary Speed by holding up his left boot, with “R.I.P Gary Speed” stitched on it, in front of the Bolton fans. On 27 December, Bale scored twice to give Tottenham a 2–0 win against Norwich City. On 5 January 2012, Bale was one of the players voted into the UEFA Team of the Year 2011. He scored his third brace of the season as he scored twice against Wigan on 31 January to take his tally to ten goals for the season. In January 2012 he was the Premier League Player of the Month for the second time in his career, after three goals and two assists in the Premier League for the month.
On 27 June 2012, Bale signed a new four-year contract, committing his future to the club until 2016.
2012–13 Season
For the 2012–13 season, Bale changed his squad number from 3 to number 11 as he was “not a left-back anymore” and had asked the club for a “higher number”.
Bale scored his first goal of the season against Reading in a 3–1 away victory.[67] On 29 September, Bale scored the second goal in Tottenham’s 3–2 away victory over Manchester United, their first win at Old Trafford since 1989.
He scored his first Premier League hat-trick in a 4–0 away win on Boxing Day against Aston Villa. Bale then scored in the FA Cup fixture against Coventry City as well as assisting Dempsey on both his goals in a 3–0 win. On 30 January, Bale scored a superb solo effort in the 1–1 draw with Norwich City. Bale then scored against West Bromwich Albion in a 1–0 away win. Bale then took his goal tally of the season to 15 goals with a brace against Newcastle United in a match which Spurs won 2–1, this took Spurs into third place, and strengthened their Champions League ambitions.
In Bale’s next game he scored directly from two free kicks, one from 35 yards out just before half time and another from 25 yards out in the dying seconds of injury time, to give Tottenham a 2–1 victory over Olympique Lyonnais in the first leg of their Europa League round of 32 tie. This took Bale to a tally of ten goals in his previous ten appearances. In Tottenham’s Premier League match against West Ham on 25 February, Bale scored the first and third in a 3–2 win for Tottenham. His second, a long range dipping strike from over 30 yards, in the dying stages of the game, capped a world class performance. This was his eighth goal in six games.
On 3 March 2013, Bale scored against Arsenal in a North London derby that Tottenham won 2–1. On 7 March, Tottenham faced Internazionale in the Europa League, with Bale scoring the opening goal and Tottenham winning 3–0.
Bale’s run of good form in the early months of 2013 saw him win Premier League Player of the Month for February[78] as well as the BBC’s Goal of the Month in both January and February for his strikes against Norwich City and West Ham United respectively.
On 4 April 2013, Bale injured his right ankle in the first leg of the Europa League quarter final against FC Basel. On his return from injury, Bale scored a goal and assisted Clint Dempsey as Tottenham beat Manchester City at White Hart Lane.
On 28 April 2013, Bale won both the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year after his excellent showing in the 2012–13 season. A week later, on 2 May 2013, he added the FWA (Football Writer’s Association) Player of the Year Award, making Bale one of only two players who have won all three in the same season, the other being Cristiano Ronaldo, who won them in 2007.
On 4 May 2013, Bale scored the winning goal against his former club Southampton. The goal gave Spurs a 1–0 win as well as Bale’s 20th in the Premier League in his 200th appearance for Spurs.
On 19 May 2013, Bale scored a 90th minute goal from 25 yards out. This goal gave Spurs a 1–0 win over Sunderland, but was not enough to give them Champions League football for the following season.
Real Madrid
Gareth Bale’s Real Madrid career begins…
International career
Wales
Bale was selected by Wales at the end of the 2005–06 season and made his international debut on 27 May 2006. He first appeared as a substitute in a 2–1 win over Trinidad and Tobago, making him the youngest player ever to play for Wales. Bale, who was just 16 years and 315 days, assisted the winning goal scored by Robert Earnshaw.
Brian Flynn commented that Bale was potentially a future star of the game, comparing his technical ability to that of Ryan Giggs. On 7 October 2006, Bale became the youngest player ever to score a goal for the full Welsh national team in the Euro 2008 qualification match against Slovakia with a trademark free kick. He scored his second goal for Wales in a 3–0 win over San Marino on 28 March 2007.
Bale was eligible to play for England through his grandmother, but he stated in 2007 that:
“It is an honour to play for Wales…Nobody ever got in touch with me personally from England, only through my agent.”
After a long injury lay-off, he returned and started in the World Cup qualifier against Finland on 10 October 2009. On 14 October, he played a part in Wales’ final World Cup qualifier by setting up David Vaughan to score the opening goal against Liechtenstein and won the free kick that led to the second, Aaron Ramsey’s first at senior level.
In December 2010, Bale was awarded the BBC Cymru Sports Personality of the Year trophy.
Bale was called up to the Wales squad for the first time under Gary Speed to play against Australia on 10 August 2011. He previously missed the last four internationals with injury.
On 12 October 2012, Bale scored two goals in a 2–1 victory over Scotland in a World Cup qualifier.
