fter the game he said comments in Spain about him were “disgusting” and that the

publication “should be ashamed of themselves”. Bale took to Twitter on Friday to

criticise the “slanderous, derogatory and speculative journalism” and complain that
such reporting had a huge impact on the mental health of athletes.

He wrote: “At a time when people are taking their own lives because of the
callousness and relentlessness of the media, I want to know, who is holding these
journalists and the news outlets that allow them to write articles like this,
accountable?

“Fortunately I have developed a thick skin during my time in the public spotlight, but
that doesn’t mean articles like these don’t cause damage and upset personally and
professionally to those at the receiving end of these malicious stories. I have
witnessed the toll the media can take on people’s mental and physical health.