Bale at The Bernabeu: A Hero Never Truly Loved
From Champions League heroics to being sidelined and scapegoated, Gareth Bale’s journey at Real Madrid is a tale of brilliance overshadowed by a broken relationship, media storms, and a club that never truly embraced its unlikely superstar.
Given the Welshman’s impeccable form for Tottenham Hotspur, it wasn’t a huge shock when Real Madrid went all out and made Bale the world’s most expensive footballer. Los Blancos paid Daniel Levy £85 million to secure Bale’s services and it looked to be a shrewd bit of business when Wales forward Bale hit the ground running at the Bernabeu.
The former Southampton man scored 22 goals in 44 appearances during his debut campaign, including an incredible solo strike in the Copa del Rey final against El Clásico rivals Barcelona, as well as a goal in extra time of the Champions League final against local rivals Atletico Madrid, which saw Real win both competitions. Without doubt, Bale’s first season in Spain could be deemed a success. His talent had arrived on the global stage.
Injuries
While Bale enjoyed a decent second season in Madrid, scoring 17 times in all competitions, Los Blancos came away with only the Club World Cup to show for their efforts. Carlo Ancelotti was dismissed at the end of the season and replaced by former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez. The Spaniard only lasted until January, which coincided with Bale’s most prolific season in Madrid, although injuries had restricted the Cardiff-born forward to 13 La Liga appearances, he managed to score nine goals under Benitez. Bale missed a total of 15 league games through injury during the 2015/16 season; despite this, his numbers were still very impressive as he contributed 19 goals and 11 assists in 23 La Liga appearances.
The Madridistas also claimed a second Champions League triumph in three seasons, beating local rivals Atletico in the final again. This was sadly only the beginning for Bale in terms of injuries. Not including the 34 days he spent sidelined whilst on loan back at Tottenham during the 2020/21 season, Bale spent a total of 625 days out injured during his time in Madrid, missing a total of 126 games in the process.
The Zidane Years
Zinedine Zidane, a modern-day great and one of the greatest footballers to have ever played the game, was appointed as Rafa Benitez’s successor. Real Madrid royalty, Zidane was a key player during the Galactico era at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. Having initially kept up the fantastic form he had shown under Benitez, Gareth Bale’s time under Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid was a complex and often turbulent chapter in both men’s careers, marked by moments of glory, tension, and ultimately, an unsettled history.
When Zidane took over as head coach in January 2016, Bale was already a key figure in the squad. He had played a pivotal role in delivering La Décima in 2014 and was viewed as one of the club’s marquee stars. The French manager inherited a team bursting with talent, with Bale’s pace, power, and knack for scoring in big moments fitting naturally into Zidane’s fast-paced counter-attacking system, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.
The peak of their time together came in the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League final, against Liverpool. Bale came off the bench to score a brace against Jürgen Klopp’s men, which ultimately won Los Blancos their third successive Champions League crown under Zidane. A brace that included one of the greatest goals the Champions League has ever seen, in the form of a stunning bicycle kick from 25 yards out. It was a moment that encapsulated Bale’s unique brilliance.
But even that night in Kiev, the simmering tension between the Welshman and Zidane was clear. Following his heroics off the bench, Bale said, “I felt like I deserved to start but obviously the manager makes those decisions and what can you do?” before adding, “The best I could do was to come on and make an impact and that’s what I did.”
Bale was clearly frustrated at being benched for such a monumental match and those comments from the generally reserved Welshman made his frustration clear for all, Zidane included, to see. Zizou, too, seemed reluctant to fully embrace Bale as an important figure of his team, often citing tactical reasons for excluding him and favouring other options like Isco or Lucas Vázquez in critical matches.
As Zidane’s time in charge progressed, including a return to the club having resigned just five days after Bale’s heroics in Kiev, Bale’s role diminished. Injuries definitely played their part in this, but Zidane’s lack of trust in him was evident. Bale was often left on the bench or out of the squad entirely, and the media spotlight on their frosty relationship reached breaking point. It’s true that Bale didn’t help himself with some of the antics he was caught on camera with while on the bench for Real Madrid and posing with a Welsh flag that read ”Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order.” will no doubt have affected their relationship further.
By the time Zidane left Real Madrid for the second time in 2021, Bale’s role at the club had become almost non-existent. Their relationship, which was never overly confrontational, stood as a symbol of unfulfilled potential and philosophical differences. Bale, a magnificently talented individual and Zidane, the club legend who would have been fully aware of Bale’s talent, just never seemed to have the faith in the Welsh legend, that others did.
In hindsight, Bale’s time under Zidane was conflicting. They won trophies together, a lot of them, but never quite clicked on a personal or tactical level. Their partnership yielded historic success; it wasn’t all bad, as certain areas of the press will have you believe, but there’s also a sense of what might have been if trust had been stronger. Both should go down as Real Madrid legends in their own right for what they achieved together and separately.
How Should Bale be Remembered by Real Madrid?
Gareth Bale should be considered a Real Madrid legend for his contributions during one of the club’s most successful eras. Despite often being overshadowed by bigger personalities or plagued by injuries, Bale delivered in the moments that mattered most. He played a crucial role in securing five UEFA Champions League titles and scored some of the most outrageous goals the game has ever seen, most notably his stunning overhead kick in the 2018 final against Liverpool and his blistering solo run in the 2014 Copa del Rey final against Barcelona.
His pace, power, and knack for decisive moments made him a game changer and his 106 goals in 258 appearances, underline his consistent impact. While his time at Madrid had it’s ups and downs, Bale’s legacy is etched in silverware and unforgettable moments that earned him a rightful place among the club’s greats.
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