After arriving from Tottenham as once the most expensive transfer in the world, Gareth Bale saw his last years at Real Madrid characterized by a breakdown in relations between him and the club, the fans and the Madrid media – it even led to renowned Marca labeling him a ‘parasite’ back in the winter.However, Bale did once enjoy happier times in Spain, including winning five Champions League titles, and as such has been recognised as a club legend. Despite his acrimonious fallout, the club’s website officially named Bale one of the club’s greats. Aside from the five Champions League titles, Bale also won three LaLiga titles, four Club World Cups, one Copa Del Rey and three European Super Cups.🚨🚨BREAKING : Gareth Bale has been added to The Legends Section of Real Madrid’s Website 🏴👏Unfortunately we couldn’t see more of him post 2018, but still he will always remain A REAL MADRID LEGEND! 🐉 pic.twitter.com/LzT3aEwtQf— AZR (@AzrOrganization) June 17, 2022 Other players included in the pantheon of Real Madrid greats include the obvious selections such as Raul, Iker Casillas, Cristiano Ronaldo and Alfredo di Stefano. But let’s go back to the Welshman. Notable moments for Bale at Real Madrid included a goal that put Real Madrid 2-1 ahead against Atletico Madrid in the final of the 2014 Champions League, while in that same year he scored a season-defining Copa Del Rey winner against Barcelona when he exhibited his blistering pace and power to leave the defenders in his wake.⚡️🏴 | ON THIS DAY!8 years ago today, Gareth Bale scored THAT goal to win the Copa del Rey for Real Madrid against Barcelona ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ptXcscRSwI— welshfootie (@welshfootie) April 16, 2022 However, the Madrid website note his overhead kick in the 2018 Champions League final against Liverpool as the clinching factor in him being recognised as a club legend. It was Bale’s second goal in a Champions League final, after his crucial header in 2014. He would also go on to score again in the game, owing to a Loris Karius howler. Indeed, Bale’s ‘legends’ profile page on the Real Madrid website is titled ‘The unforgettable bicycle kick to clinch La Decimotercera’.Bale’s spectacular bicycle kick in 2018 final in Kyiv won the game for Real Madrid as they ran out 3-1 winners over Liverpool in the Ukrainian capital.Bale’s goal puts Real Madrid up 2-1 pic.twitter.com/IkTG2fnCnB— Footy Vids (@FootyVlNES) May 26, 2018 Real Madrid’s website says of the goal: ‘Bale hit over a century of goals for Real Madrid and the greatest of his 106 strikes will live long in the memory, a spectacular overhead-kick in the final which yielded La Decimotercera against Liverpool.’
