Gareth Bale

Gareth Frank Bale (born 16 July 1989) is a Welsh footballer who plays for Spanis
h club Real Madrid and the Wales national team, as a winger.
Bale began his professional career at Southampton, playing at left back and earn
ing acclaim as a free kick specialist. He moved to Tottenham Hotspur in 2007, fo
r an eventual 7 million fee. During his time at Spurs, managerial and tactical sh
ifts saw him transform into a more offensive player. From the 200910 season, Bale
became an integral part of the team, rising to international attention during t
he 201011 UEFA Champions League.[3][4][5] In 2011 and 2013 he was named PFA Playe
rs' Player of the Year, and was named in the UEFA Team of the Year. In 2013 he w
as also named PFA Young Player of the Year and the FWA Footballer of the Year.
On 1 September 2013, Bale was transferred to Spanish team Real Madrid for an und
isclosed fee. The Spanish press and Real Madrid TV reported 77 million (91 million
), while the English press reported a world record transfer fee of 85.3 million (1
00 million), which would be above Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer record fee of 80 m
illion (94 million).[6][7][8][9][10][11] He played an integral role in his first
season at Real Madrid, helping the club to win the Copa del Rey and the Champion
s League, scoring in both finals.
Bale has received plaudits from his peers, who have described him as a footballe
r with "tremendous speed, great crossing ability, a great left foot and exceptio
nal physical qualities".[12]
Contents [hide]
1 Early and personal life
2 Club career
2.1 Southampton
2.2 Tottenham Hotspur
2.2.1 200708 season
2.2.2 200809 season
2.2.3 200910 season
2.2.4 201011 season
2.2.5 201112 season
2.2.6 201213 season
2.3 Real Madrid
2.3.1 201314 season
2.3.2 201415 season
3 International career
3.1 Wales
3.2 Great Britain
4 Style of play
5 Trademark application
6 Sponsorship
7 Career statistics
7.1 Club
7.2 National team
7.3 International goals
8 Honours
8.1 Club
8.2 Individual
9 References
10 External links
Early and personal life
Bale was born in Cardiff, Wales, to parents Frank, a school caretaker, and Debbi
e, an operations manager;[13] he attended Eglwys Newydd Primary School at Whitch
urch.[14] He is the nephew of former Cardiff City footballer Chris Pike.[15] It
was while at this school he first came to the attention of Southampton at age ni
ne, when he was playing in a six-a-side tournament with his first club, Cardiff
Civil Service Football Club.[16] Growing up, his football hero was fellow Welshm
an and Manchester United player Ryan Giggs.[17]
Bale attended Whitchurch High School in Cardiff.[18] He was a keen athlete and p
layed football alongside future Wales rugby captain Sam Warburton,[19] rugby, ho
ckey and excelled at athletics.[20] As a 14-year-old he says that he ran the 100
metre sprint in 11.4 seconds.[17] Because of his superior footballing skill, th
e 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.[19] Whilst at Wh
itchurch, Bale trained at Southampton's satellite academy in Bath, although ther
e was initially some doubt if Southampton would give him a scholarship due to hi
s height.[13]
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 i
n PE amongst his other GCSE results. In his final year at school, he was awarded
the PE department's prize for services to sport. In the presentation, Morris co
mmented:
"Gareth has a fierce determination to succeed and has the character and qualitie
s to achieve his personal goals. He is one of the most unselfish individuals tha
t I have had the pleasure to help educate."[21]
Bale lives in Madrid with his partner Emma Rhys-Jones, his high school sweethear
t.[22] Their first child, born at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff on 2
1 October 2012[23] was named Alba Violet.[24]