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Football

21st Jul 2020

Where did it all go wrong for Gareth Bale at Real Madrid?

Gareth Bale should be a hero in Madrid, given the goals he's scored. So why isn't he? Reuben Pinder takes a look at his turbulent time in Spain

Reuben Pinder

Where did it all go wrong?

Gareth Bale should be a hero at Real Madrid. He scored the goals that brought home their first Champions League title in 11 years, scored the winner in a Copa del Rey final the same season, scored two more in another Champions League final final four years later, and has generally been a consistent goalscorer for one of the biggest clubs in the world.

But he’s very unpopular among Madrid fans. He regularly gets whistled by the Bernabeu crowd for underperforming and is generally viewed with distain for his apparent refusal to learn Spanish, his love of golf and his preference for playing for Wales.

Then of course, there’s his relationship with Zidane. The Frenchman has never really warmed to Bale, preferring players more suited to playing in tight spaces like Isco and Marco Asensio. But there seems to be more at play between Bale and Zidane.

We tracked Bale’s rise and fall in the Spanish capital.