Gareth Bale got a taste of American summer when he made his MLS debut for LAFC on Sunday.
The Wales forward was brought on for the final 20 minutes to replace Christian Arango in a 1-0 win over Nashville FC at Geodis Park, much to the joy of the travelling fans.
However, Bale could not produce his best and struggled to find his feet as the mercury hovered just below the 30-degree mark with the humidity close to 90 per cent in Nashville.
What did Bale say after his MLS debut?
It was an average outing for the former Real Madrid player whose first touch was a subtle backheel for teammate Jose Cifuentes. Apart from that, Bale produced little for the fans who were cheering every time he touched the ball.
After the game, he admitted that he was not at his best and the weather has been a major challenge for him.
"The humidity was very difficult, even in the warmup. It was something that I'm not used to. You don't really get to see the heat on TV,” Bale said in the post match press conference.
However, he felt that he would have little trouble adapting to the style of play and is already getting used to the team’s philosophy.
"I wouldn't say [the style of play] is different, it's just getting used to the teams' philosophies. We're working on it in training every day. I'm watching extra films on it in terms of before and after training with the coaches.
"It's just trying to get up to speed as quick as I can and when I go on the field, do as much as I can to help the team."
Bale enjoying himself in MLS
Although Bale had a tough time in humid conditions on his MLS debut, the superstar remains motivated to win trophies.
After the slender win over Nashville, LAFC are leading the standings in the Western Conference with 42 points from 20 matches and Bale is eager to help them clinch the title at the end of the season.
"I'm excited to get my debut out of the way. I want to try and contribute as much as I can to this team, to try and win games and win trophies," Bale said.
