Gareth Bale admits he ‘LOVES’ retirement & jokes about how much golf he’d played

Tottenham and Wales legend Gareth Bale has revealed he is 'lovingly' retiring, almost two years after calling time on his glittering football career at the age of 33.

Bale, who won five Champions Leagues during his trophy-laden years at Real Madrid, made a surprise appearance on the TNT Sports panel ahead of the Spanish giants' match against Liverpool on Wednesday and lifted the lid on his post-retirement life.

The ex-Spurs star, a keen golfer, couldn't resist joking about his other passion outside of football, explaining that he actually has time to enjoy the sport these days.

Asked how life has treated him since hanging up his boots, Bale said: “Nice to come back to a football stadium. I love it (retirement)! I'm actually going to play golf now, instead of people writing about it.'

The 35-year-old, who announced his retirement in January 2023 shortly after captaining Wales at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, scored one of the best Champions League goals in history when he acrobatically netted a bicycle kick for Real Madrid after he had come into the field. as a substitute against Liverpool in the 2018 final.

Reflecting on the goal, he added: “I still remember it and it really happened in slow motion when I saw it go in.

'It's cool to look back on those memories. In my head I should have started. The fact that I didn't made me more than upset. I came with a point to prove.”

Bale admitted that a major benefit of retirement has been being able to spend more time with his family, and joked that at times he has almost become a taxi company for his children.

'It was nice to spend time with my children. When you're playing, you're constantly tired and you sleep in different rooms. I've just really been there for them and had some family time. I use the app (Uber, to ferry around his kids).”

Bale's stellar career was cut short after the winger suffered a series of injuries in his early 30s, and his spell at Real Madrid brought many challenges a few years after his time at the Bernabéu.

After joining Southampton and then excelling at Tottenham, Bale moved to the LaLiga giants for £85million, joining the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos in the Spanish capital.

But the Welshman quickly became an unpopular figure among a percentage of Real Madrid fans, and the Spanish press sometimes criticized Bale's love of golf, claiming he spent more time on the green than on the training pitch.

Bale ended his nine-year stint with Los Blancos and joined MLS team Los Angeles FC in 2022, with many fans joking that the move would allow him to play golf to his heart's content in California while dazzling supporters on the football field.

Confirming his retirement the following year, the Wales legend said in a lengthy and emotional statement on social media: 'After careful and thoughtful consideration, I am announcing my immediate retirement from club and international football.

'I feel incredibly lucky to have achieved my dream of playing the sport I love. It has truly given me some of the best moments of my life. The highest peak over seventeen seasons, that will be impossible to replicate no matter what the next chapter has in store for me.

“From my very first contact at Southampton to my last at LAFC and everything in between, I have forged a club career that I am immensely proud and grateful for. Playing for my country 111 times and being captain is truly a dream come true.

'It feels like an impossibility to express my gratitude to everyone who has played a role in this journey. I am indebted to many people for helping me change my life and shape my career in ways I could never have imagined when I first started at age 9

'To my previous clubs, Southampton, Tottenham, Real Madrid and finally LAFC. All my previous managers and coaches, backroom staff, teammates, all the dedicated fans, my agents, my wonderful friends and family, the impact you have had is immeasurable

“My parents and my sister, without your dedication in those early days, without such a strong foundation, I would not be writing this statement now, so thank you for putting me on this path and for your continued support.

“My wife and my children, your love and support got me through. Right next to me for all the highs and lows, keeping me grounded along the way. You inspire me to be better, and to make you proud.

'So I move on to the next phase of my life with great anticipation. A time of change and transition, an opportunity for a new adventure.'