Wales captain Gareth Bale has retirement from professional football at the age of 33 after a fulfilling 17 year career.
The nation’s most-capped male player and record men’s goalscorer announced his decision on social media.
Bale, who scored 41 goals in 111 appearances for Wales, described the decision to quit international football as by far the hardest of his career.
The former Tottenham and Real Madrid forward, who spent last season at Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC, was part of Wales’ squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and is arguably Wales’ finest ever footballer.
Bale was twice named footballer of the year while at Tottenham, in 2010-11 and 2012-13, and moved to Real for what was then a world-record fee of more than 80 million pounds in September 2013.
The move ensured he enjoyed a trophy laden career, including three La Liga titles, five Champions League titles, a number no other British player has matched – along with three Club World Cups, three Uefa Super Cups and a Spanish cup.
