Gareth Bale claims to have no regrets from his seven years at Real Madrid, with the Wales international of the opinion that whistles from his own supporters have made him stronger.
After enjoying a bright start to his time at Santiago Bernabeu, while collecting 13 trophies in total and registering over 100 goals, the 31-year-old saw a dream switch to Spain become a nightmare.
Amid questions of his form, fitness and attitude, Bale quickly became a scapegoat for those looking to point fingers during periods of struggle for Real.
Zinedine Zidane took to freezing a big-money asset out of his plans as the criticism built in Madrid, but several transfer windows passed with no push for the exits being made.
Bale has now freed himself from the Blancos, with a season-long loan deal taking him back to Tottenham, and he believes everything he experienced at the Bernabeu has been beneficial.
He told Sky Sports: “No I don't have any regrets, no.
“I just try and play football, that's all I can do and everything else that's said externally is out of my control.
“As I said, I have no regrets of what I've done, whatever anyone else has said, that's up to them. I know my opinion of myself and my family know exactly what I am, so that's all I'm worried about.
“Obviously going into a different culture, a different country, I've had to grow up as a person, never mind a footballer.
“You just learn how to deal with the situations that you're in. Obviously I've been in immense pressure situations. I've had people on the pitch whistling in the stadium to me.
“So yeah, I've just learned how to deal with those type of things, to not take it too seriously, take it too much to heart, and yeah just get on with it. It's football - something that you love doing and you just need to give your best and sometimes that's all you can do.”
Bale’s focus is now locked on events at Spurs, despite still being under contract with Real through to the summer of 2022.
He has thrived in north London before and is determined to star again as he seeks to help Jose Mourinho land long-awaited silverware.
“Of course when you come into any club you want to do well, you want to help the team as much as you can,” added a man who became the most expensive player on the planet when leaving Spurs back in 2013.
“We have a great team here now with a great squad. They've been doing great. Obviously in the time that I've gone away they've gone on and on and obviously reached the Champions League final, the club's got a new stadium, the club itself is better, they're doing better in the Premier League every year.
“So I just want to add to that. I want to try and bring a bit more to the team and try and progress even more and keep pushing in the right direction.”