Gareth Bale's announcement Monday that he has retired from football brings down the curtain on a career packed with trophies and highlight reels but also one that leaves the lingering question of whether he truly reached the heights his talent was capable of.
Straight off the bat let's acknowledge that Bale has legitimate claims to being Britain's greatest footballing export. A world-record transfer to Real Madrid in 2013 was earned off the back of a three-year spell at Tottenham Hotspur in which he progressed from timid teenage left-back winless in his first 24 games to swashbuckling forward whose goals took Spurs to the Champions League.
Wales' then-youngest debutant in May 2006 became its undisputed talismanic leader when the principality qualified for Euro 2016, a first major tournament in almost 60 years. He would go on to lead his country to the semi-finals in France as well as qualification for a further two major tournaments, including last year's World Cup in Qatar.
He retires, at age 33, as Wales' all-time top appearance maker and scorer with 41 goals, leaving luminaries such as Ian Rush, Mark Hughes, Ryan Giggs and John Charles trailing in his wake.
YouTube was invented to immortalise players like Bale: The memorable hat-trick in a 4-3 Champions League loss against Inter Milan at the San Siro, a match that still gives Maicon nightmares; the sprint and sumptuous solo to win the Copa del Rey against Barcelona, Marc Bartra still trying to catch up with him nine years later; the outrageous overhead kick against Liverpool which secured a 13th European Cup for Real Madrid.
And yet somehow Bale's feels like a story only half told.
Bale was as polarising as he was prolific, particularly at Real Madrid. In almost any other case, a player who scored over 100 goals, won three La Liga titles and five Champions Leagues - scoring in two of those finals and a penalty in a shootout in another - would be afforded not just cult status but hero worship. Statues have been built for players who achieved much less.
Bale's seemingly never-ending injury problems and the perception he preferred to spend his free time on the golf course rather than immerse himself in Spanish culture irked supporters, but he is by no means the only footballer with a set of clubs who refused to learn the local lingo.
A return to Tottenham on loan for the 2020/21 season only seemed to undermine his achievements during his first spell in North London, despite a return of 16 goals in 34 appearances.
Few tears were shed by Madridistas when Bale ended his nine-year stay at the club and signed for Los Angeles FC in June 2022, but even his time Stateside feels underwhelming despite helping the club lift the MLS Cup for the first time.
While Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were breaking records and battling it out each year to be crowned Ballon d'Or winner, Bale, at least for a short period during his time at Madrid, came as close as anyone to challenging their hegemony.
No one is putting Bale on the same pedestal as those two behemoths, but on the next rung down on the ladder of great players, he was easily the equal of Robert Lewandowski, Karim Benzema and Neymar.
Bale's time in football, as a player at least, may be over but the debate over his impact and place in the pantheon of greats is sure to rage on.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
BRIEF SCORES:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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RESULT
Arsenal 0 Chelsea 3
Chelsea: Willian (40'), Batshuayi (42', 49')
Company profile
Name: Oulo.com
Founder: Kamal Nazha
Based: Dubai
Founded: 2020
Number of employees: 5
Sector: Technology
Funding: $450,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Black Panther
Dir: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o
Five stars
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
