Since smashing the record paid for a professional footballer back in 2013, the world’s most expensive player Gareth Bale, who may I add, belongs to us, in Wales, has grabbed the footballing world by the scruff of its neck.
An eye watering three seasons at Real Madrid so far and some simply breath-taking performances in a Wales shirt has seen the Welshman place himself on the world stage, not just on his proud parents’ mantle piece.
[wpdevart_youtube]yWVrolNQ4RU[/wpdevart_youtube]
A mantle piece found in Cardiff, where it all began for Gareth Frank Bale. Born in the Welsh capital, where he grew up with his mother and father, Bale attended both primary and secondary schools in Whitchurch.
The first professional club to spot him, at just nine years old, was Southampton who are a side famously known for introducing young talent to the game. The scouts were impressed with his display in a six-a-side tournament, where no doubt, he would have been attempting to emulate his idol’s style of play, a certain Ryan Giggs.
He trained with Southampton academy in Bath, where he developed the technical side of his game. This was the first taste of academy football for Gareth, and as a result, he improved greatly from the player he was the first time they clocked him.
Simultaneously, he played football in school where he really started to flourish. His PE teacher set the condition that Gareth was only allowed to play with his right foot, to develop both his own game, and to give those around him a chance.
Despite this, there was a slight scare. The coaches were concerned with his build, highlighting that he may not be able to cope with the physical demands of the modern professional game. Little did they, or even he know, that the wiry Whitchurch boy would become the Welsh wizard with a wand of a left foot.
His professional career began at Southampton after successfully persuading his doubters that he was perfectly suited to the physical side of things. Roughly a decade ago, he played as a left back for the Saints making 40 appearances and establishing himself as a free kick expert.
[wpdevart_youtube]6fSouKFgkN0[/wpdevart_youtube]
It was here that Bale displayed glimmers of potential, potential that top flight side Tottenham Hotspur valued in the region of £5,000,000-£10,000,000. He of course, gladly accepted the offer in pursuit of his dream, to reach the dizzying heights of the Barclays Premier League.
Sadly, his start in South London was described as ‘torrid’ after failing to build on the foundations he had set at Southampton. He dominated the back pages as the Welsh boy who “flopped” at Spurs, which tempted Birmingham City to bid in the region of £3,000,000 for him.
However a slight tweak to his position on the pitch changed his fortunes drastically. Courtesy of Harry Redknapp, the manager at the time, he was nudged up-field to play in a more advanced role at left wing. Here, we saw the evolution from a boy to a man. A lengthy spell of consistent, jaw-dropping performances from our Welshman forced Real Madrid President, Florentino Pérez, to open up his wallet and fork out £85,000,000 for him, a deal Tottenham Hotspur couldn’t turn down.
So he packed his bags, jetted off to Spain, and never looked back. Since completing his dream move, he has become the highest scoring Brit in La Liga surpassing record holder Gary Lineker. In total, he has scored over 58 goals in 122 games, with this season being the most prolific, having truly taken to the Spanish lingo. At first, it seemed like a risk joining Los Blanocs, however it’s a career choice he can be proud of when gazing at his trophy cabinet.
He now looks ahead to the summer as the biggest footballing moment of the nation’s recent history awaits: UEFA Euro 2016. In qualifying, he scored 7 of the 11 goals, demonstrating his level of importance to our national side. His form domestically and internationally these past few seasons have not only raised our expectations of him as Welsh fans, but the expectation of him from a neutral perspective, as anyone who appreciates the game will say he is truly a joy to watch.
words RHYS RICHARDS, photos JON CANDY