Gareth Bale retires from the beautiful game of soccer at 33

Gareth Bale, Welsh soccer star and captain of the national team, has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 33.

The Cardiff-born player, who holds the record for the most men’s goals scored for Wales, shared the news on social media.

Throughout his career, which began at Southampton and took him to Tottenham Hotspur before a record-breaking transfer to Real Madrid, Bale won five Champions League titles and three league titles. He was named footballer of the year twice while playing for Tottenham and also helped Real win three Club World Cups, three UEFA Super Cups, and a Spanish cup.

In addition to his club successes, Bale played a key role in Wales’ appearances at the 2016 and 2020 European Championships and was a leader for the team at their first World Cup since 1958 in Qatar in 2022. He ends his international career with 111 appearances and 41 goals.