Mansion Sports – Former Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur icon Gareth Bale has revealed the true reason why he decided to retire from football at the age of 33.

The former winger brought his illustrious professional career to an end just a few months after the Wales national team were eliminated from the group stage of the 2022 World Cup, finishing at the bottom with only one point from three matches.

Bale Retired at the Age of 33

Bale began his professional journey at Southampton in 2006 after graduating from the club’s academy. Following an impressive debut season at St Mary’s Stadium, he attracted the attention of Tottenham, who quickly secured his transfer.

He spent the next six seasons at White Hart Lane before fulfilling his dream of joining Real Madrid in a move that broke the world transfer record at the time.

In Madrid, he won every major trophy available, including multiple La Liga titles and Champions League triumphs.

In 2022, Bale joined MLS club LAFC, where he played for one season before hanging up his boots in January 2023.

His retirement announcement came after Wales were knocked out of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar during the group stage.

Why Bale Decided to Retire Early

In an interview with GQ Magazine, Bale revealed that his father’s health condition influenced his decision to retire at the age of 33.

He said: “I feel very fortunate to have been able to live out the dream of playing the sport I love. It truly gave me some of the best moments of my life. My dad fell ill and that really affected my decision. People do not know what someone goes through at home, but I quickly realised that there are more important things in life than football. My dad sacrificed everything when I was young. He took me everywhere. Without my dad and my parents, I would not be in the position I am in today.”

He added: “I achieved so many things in my career that playing in the World Cup was essentially the final milestone I wanted to reach. The result did not go brilliantly for us, but it was the first time in 64 years. After that, I felt there was no longer any career objective I still wanted to pursue.”

Is Bale Truly Obsessed with Golf?

During his time in Madrid, Bale once held up a now-famous flag with the words “Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order” after his country qualified for Euro 2020.

The incident drew criticism in Spain, and since then Bale has frequently been associated with golf, with many believing he was obsessed with the sport.

However, in the interview, the former Spurs star clarified the perception by stating that he “never really played that much golf” and usually swung a club “once every two to three weeks” and always “on a day off.”

Did Bale Ever Clash with Ronaldo?

Speaking about his relationship with former Madrid teammate and Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo, Bale stated: “I do not really stay in touch with many former teammates at Madrid — only some of the Wales players — but I always got on well with everyone. I never had issues with anyone. I was never involved in a big argument. Sometimes the media said there were problems between me and Ronaldo, but we never had issues, never fought, never clashed, nothing ever happened.”