Gareth Bale has been on the rise like a Phoenix since his magnificent showing for Spurs against Inter in the Champions League. His rise from Southampton to Tottenham to Real Madrid has been a fairytale one, often unbelievable for the Welsh international. While we are used to his clinical finishing, mazy runs and the trademark heart celebration, there are tons of things you didn’t know about Gareth Bale. Read on to know.
Bale started out as a Defender
Gareth Bale is one of the top strikers in modern day football. However, maybe you didn’t know this about Gareth Bale that he actually started out as a left back for Southampton. His pace on the left flank meant he could do quick overlaps and put crosses into the box, something that prompted then manager Harry Redknapp to promote him to attack. The rest is history.
Bale lost his First 24 games as a Tottenham Hotspurs player
Gareth Bale was signed from Southampton at 19 years of age, becoming one of the marquee signings in the English game at the time. What most people didn’t know about Gareth Bale is that he lost his first 24 games in a Spurs shirt, over a span of two years. Bale finally got his first win for Spurs in a game against Burnley when he came on in the dying moments of the game, with Spurs leading 4-0. Some jinx, that.
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Gareth Bale played for Wales as a teenager
Such was Bale’s progress as a footballer, the Wales national team called him up at just 16 years old. He represented the Dragons at just 16 years 315 days in a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago, a record that he held until Harry Wilson broke it in 2012. Bale is also the second youngest debutant for Southampton, behind Arsenal and now Everton ace Theo Walcott. One of the earliest thing about Gareth Bale.
Gareth Bale is the Fastest Footballer on the Planet
While pace is not everything Gareth Bale possesses, it is surely one of the many things that make him so lethal. His obsession with speed and beating defenders for pace are a delight for fans through the years, but in 2015, it became official in a study by Mexican club Pachuca, sponsored by FIFA, that he is the fastest player with a football. Many didn’t know this about Gareth Bale that he clocked 26.9 Km/hr with the ball at his feet.
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Gareth Bale does not Drink
With the fame that comes with superstars of the likes of Gareth Bale, drinking and partying come naturally. However, there is a thing we didn’t know about Gareth Bale in this regard. He does not drink any kind of alcoholic drink. It is not because of some past history or because of his fitness, it is simply because he doesn’t like the taste of it, as he has admitted himself on numerous occasions.
Bale has a number of alternate career options in Sport
Gareth Bale is an established footballer, however that doesn’t mean he shies away from other sports. He’s pretty good in rugby, hockey and distance running. To top it all, he’s almost professional level in golf. His love for golf has come to the fore time and again during his time in Madrid. He famously played a few rounds at the US Open course at Pebble Beach, California. Isn’t this amazing about Gareth Bale?
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Bale is part of a list of rare achievers
Gareth Bale won the PFA Player of the Year award and the Young Player of the Year Award in 2012-13 playing for Spurs. This has been a unique feat, previously achieved by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2006-07 and Andy Gray in 1976-77. He’s the last Englishman to hold this record and it stands to date.
Gareth Bale could’ve represented England
Bale’s grandmom is English, which means he could have chosen to pull on the Three Lions’ jersey. However, he went on to play for Wales and has reiterated on interviews that Wales is the only team at the national level that he wishes to play for. Ryan Giggs was another Welshman who could’ve chosen England, but both these legends shunned England and have gone on to become Welsh superstars.
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No tattoos for Gareth Bale
This is one thing many didn’t know about Gareth Bale. He does not wear any tattoos, and neither does he intend to get any done in the future. This is because his father is a schoolteacher and shuns from the modern flashy lifestyle that comes with being a 21st century superstar.