Gareth Bale has revealed that he retired early from football after having to play with a ‘secret’ injury throughout his senior career.
The former Wales captain rose through the ranks at Tottenham Hotspur, before joining Real Madrid in 2013 for a then-world record fee of around €100 million.
He achieved remarkable success at the Spanish giants, winning multiple trophies including five UEFA Champions League titles, but was also plagued by injuries during his time at the club.
The former LAFC winger then announced his decision to call time on his career after the 2022 FIFA World Cup at the age of 33.
Speaking during a recent interview, Bale admitted to playing with injury for most of his entire career, leading to his decision to retire from playing very early.
“I tore my disc in my back when I was 18 at Tottenham, I played my whole career with that”, Bale said.
“I had a lot of calf injuries which was due to my back, I never came out and said this when I was playing because some people would say ‘he’s making excuses’.
“It was manageable but over time it caught up with me.”
Bale made 111 appearances for Wales, scoring 41 goals and also helped them to reach the semifinals of Euro 2016 and also to the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
The 36-year-old finished his career as the player with the most goals and appearances for the national team, since making his debut aged 16 in 2006.
“I never knew when it would come and obviously people were like, ‘oh, he doesn’t look after himself’ [but] I would literally make sure my calves and soleus were bulletproof”, Bale continued.
“But again, if it misfires and it goes, there’s nothing I could do about it. I’d have an injection in my back to calm it all down.”
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
