Gareth Bale was worth €100m to Real Madrid - here are five moments that prove it

FT Desk

• Updated: 25 Jun 2022 17:23 BST
• 5 min read

Gareth Bale will bring an end to nine trophy-filled seasons with Real Madrid this summer to join MLS side Los Angeles FC on a free transfer. An often-polarising figure in the Spanish capital, Bale still shone brighter than most who've turned out in the famous white strip.

Real Madrid paid a reported €100 million to bring Bale to the Santiago Bernabeu from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013, a world record fee at the time, and the first half of his spell there saw him form one-third of the most feared attacks in world football – the 'BBC' trio alongside Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo.

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In recent years, injuries and loss of form left some fans doubting his commitment, with "Wales, golf, Madrid" the supposed order of the winger's priorities, but FootballTransfers looks at five key moments that prove that Bale was worth every penny Los Blancos spent on him.

THAT brace against Liverpool in the Champions League

Bale's place in Real Madrid's starting XI was beginning to come under threat in the 2017/18 season, with Zinedine Zidane increasingly benching him in favour of Marco Asensio or Isco, who started the Champions League final against Liverpool in Kyiv in 2018.

Benzema and Sadio Mane had exchanged goals in Ukraine, and the game was on a knife-edge just past the hour mark when Bale was subbed on for Isco. Two minutes later he scored one of the best goals the competition has ever seen, meeting Marcelo's cross with an overhead kick which left Loris Karius with no chance. He thumped home a second on 83 minutes and Real took home the 13th of their now-14 Champions League crowns.

A wonder-goal in an El Clasico Copa del Rey final

Four years earlier, Bale did start in Real Madrid's Cope del Rey final against great rivals Barcelona at Valencia's Estadio de Mestalla.

Again, it was a finely poised game, with Angel Di Maria opening the scoring for Real in the first half before Marc Bartra headed Barca back onto level terms with little more than 20 minutes to play. Bartra's gas would be turned to a peep before the game was out, though.

In the 85th minute, Bale picked up possession just inside his own half on the left flank with Bartra paying him closest attention. The Welsh wing wizard flew past his marker – at one point even leaving the field before meeting the ball before Bartra on the other side – and coolly slotted home for a 2-1 win.

Another derby, another Champions League final goal

The Copa del Rey wasn't the only trophy – or even the most important – Bale had a hand in Real Madrid lifting in 2013/14. While his goal against Barca was better, his header against Atletico Madrid in the all-Spanish Champions League final that May helped Real to be crowned European champions and seal La Decima.

That particular Madrid derby at the Estadio da Luz is perhaps best remembered for Sergio Ramos's late, late header which cancelled out Diego Godin's first-half opener, but Bale's goal – another header on 110 minutes – was arguably the one that broke Atleti's back, with Marcelo and Ronaldo also on target late on as the floodgates opened.

An assist and a penalty whilst injured

Two years later and Real and Atletico were paired in the Champions League final once again, this time at San Siro in Milan. It was another finely poised game; Bale had assisted Ramos's opener which cancelled out by Yannick Carrasco with little more than 10 minutes to go.

The match ultimately went to a penalty shoot-out, in which Real prevailed 5-3. Bale scored his penalty, and it was only when he limped back to his team-mates that they knew he had done so whilst injured. Talk about bravery!

A Welsh world champion

As well as being record 14-time European champions, Real have also won the FIFA Club World Cup more times than anybody else, with four and counting. However, in contrast to their rich Champions League history, their first triumph in this competition came as recently as 2014, and again Bale was central to their success.

Up against Argentine Copa Libertadores winners San Lorenzo, Real were pushed hard in Morocco's Grand Stade de Marrakech, but Ramos and Bale were once again on the scoresheet as Los Blancos prevailed 2-0. They have won three of the seven finals since.