The man who chose Tottenham over Real Madrid
Gareth Bale's love for Tottenham was stronger than anyone else.
Bale watched the match between Tottenham and Chelsea held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England on the 5th (Korean time) as a special guest. Bale met and greeted fans at halftime. The content of the interview conducted when Bale returned after a long absence was released on the Tottenham website on the 15th.
Bale said: “I still remember like it was yesterday that I didn’t realize how big of a club Tottenham was until I got here and saw the amazing fans, the support from overseas and the support in the stadium, and the club has continued to grow and grow. “It was an amazing journey, and the best thing I ever did was move to Tottenham,” he said, expressing his love for Tottenham.
Bale did not succeed immediately at Tottenham. Bale was recruited as a fullback, but the early part of his career did not go well, and his potential began to bloom as he settled into the winger position. It was in the group stage of the 2010-11 UFEA Champions League (UCL) season against Inter Milan that Bale, who was classified as a good winger in the Premier League (PL), was able to be reborn as a world-class player.
Bale was in full swing against Maicon, who was called the best fullback in the world at the time. In the match against Inter Milan at the Giuseppe Meazza, he imprinted his name around the world by scoring a hat-trick only in almost the same pattern. It was a game where Bale gained confidence that he could become a world-class player.
He said: “Personally, I think that was the moment I realized I was playing on a global stage and could compete with the best players in the world. I always say that against Inter Milan was the moment I felt I could achieve big things in football. . My confidence in my ability to move forward grew so much that I felt I could win no matter who my opponent was, and it gave me the motivation to grow,” he said.
Bale, who became a world-class player beyond the PL, left Tottenham and moved to Real Madrid, considered the best club in the world. Although he moved to Real and achieved incredible achievements, including winning an unprecedented third consecutive UCL title, Bale chose Tottenham as the best team of his career.
He said: "The idea was to return to the fans who fill the amazing stadium, but it wasn't a time when the fans couldn't come to the stadium. I loved my time at Tottenham, but maybe it won't have as much of an impact as my first career. "I knew it was possible. I made better relationships at the club again, I enjoyed being here and I was happy playing. It was a special experience for me. As I said at the beginning, Tottenham is the best club of my career," he added.