'There's more to life' - Ex-Real Madrid & Tottenham icon Gareth Bale reveals emotional reason he retired from football with 'people don't know what anyone's going through' message

Bale started his professional journey at Southampton in 2006 after graduating from the Saints' youth system. After an impressive debut campaign at St Mary's Stadium, the wide man caught Tottenham's attention and the north London club snapped him up. He spent the next six seasons at White Hart Lane, before completing a dream move to Real Madrid for a then world-record transfer fee.

In Madrid, he won every major trophy on offer, including multiple La Liga and Champions League titles. In 2022, Bale joined MLS side LAFC where he spent a season before hanging up his boots in January 2023. His retirement announcement came in the aftermath of Wales crashing out of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in the group stage.

In a chat with GQ Magazine, Bale revealed how his father's ill health prompted him to quit football at just 33. He said: "I feel incredibly fortunate to have realised my dream of playing the sport I love. It has truly given me some of the best moments of my life. My dad got ill and that played a massive role in my decision. People don't know what anyone's going through at home but I soon realised there's more to life than just football. [My dad] sacrificed everything when I was younger. He took me everywhere. Without my dad and my parents, I wouldn't be where I am today."

He added: "I achieved so much in my career so playing in a World Cup was pretty much the last thing that I wanted to achieve. It didn’t go amazingly well for us, but it was the first time in 64 years. After that, I didn't feel like I had anything else left to achieve, goal-wise."

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During his time in Madrid, Bale had once held aloft a now-infamous flag which read 'Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order' after his nation qualified for Euro 2020. The incident did draw some criticism in Spain and since the former Wales international has been closely associated with the sport, with many believing that he is obsessed with golf.

However, later in the interview, the Spurs icon cleared the air as he claimed he "never used to play golf that much" and would only pick up his clubs "once every two to three weeks" - and always "on a day off".

Speaking about his relationship with former Madrid team-mate and Portugal icon Cristiano Ronaldo, the Welshman said: "I'm not really in touch with that many [old Madrid team-mates] – a few of the Wales boys – but I always got on with everybody. I never had any problems with anyone. I never had any big arguments. Sometimes the media might say about me and Ronaldo, we never had an issue, never had an argument, never had a fight, never had anything."