Gareth Bale Confessed How His Time in European Football and at Real Madrid Was in a Career Plagued by Injuries

The Welsh international confessed about the difficulties he has faced throughout his career, especially regarding injuries and his back problems

Injuries and their impact on European participation

Gareth Bale discussed his time with Real Madrid and Tottenham, which was marred by injuries. The striker, who excelled in finals, admitted that a back injury plagued him throughout his career, ultimately forcing him to retire from professional soccer at the age of 33.

The Welsh legend, who won five UEFA Champions League titles with Real Madrid, now admits that his career was plagued by injuries, and this particular one was a tough battle. This condition had weakened him throughout his European football career and was one of the reasons he ultimately left Europe to play in Major League Soccer in the United States, before retiring

Criticism and back problems

In the podcast “Stick to Football,” the Welsh international spoke about his back problems, which have plagued him since early in his life. He also discussed the criticism he received from fans and those who began to question his discipline, even though he had no control over the situation. He also mentioned receiving back injections to manage his pain.

The consequences

The Welsh star suffered a significant football injury during his time at Tottenham at the age of 18, and he admits that he has played his entire career with a torn disc in his back ever since.

I had a lot of calf injuries, which was due to my back. I never came out and said this when I was playing because some people would say, 'He's making excuses'. It was manageable, but over time it caught up with me," said Gareth Bale, "I felt like I achieved everything I wanted to. The last thing I did was qualify for a World Cup, which was the one thing that was last on my list. I felt it was the right time. It was a few years prior that I was probably ready, but it just caught up with me".