Former Real Madrid attacker clears the air on the infamous ‘Wales, Golf, Madrid’ banner – ‘Destroyed me’ | OneFootball

In Real Madrid’s modern history, it remains one of the most controversial images: Gareth Bale laughing behind a Welsh flag with the words “Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order.”

But years after his departure, the five-time Champions League winner has finally broken his silence to clear the air on the incident that severed his relationship with the Spanish media.

In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Bale revealed his frustration with the narrative that painted him as unprofessional in the wake of that incident.

What Bale said about the banner

Bale insists the banner was thrust upon him during the chaotic celebrations following Wales’ qualification for Euro 2020 in November 2019.

“The Spanish press destroyed me. I did not even touch that banner. I used to play once every two or three weeks, and only on days off,” he said.

Bale also took the opportunity to dismantle the long-standing myth regarding his golfing habits, which critics claimed led to his frequent injuries.

Gareth Bale is an active golfer. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

“I never played for eight hours. I always did it with complete professionalism,” he clarified.

He expressed regret that misinformation fueled the hostility from the Bernabeu faithful. “People don’t know, so they invent things,” he concluded.

What does Bale do now?

Following a rather toxic end to his spell at Real Madrid, Bale eventually left the club in 2022, joining LAFC on a free transfer.

He played for LAFC for a year before announcing his retirement from football towards the end of 2023. After leaving football, golf remains Bale’s primary passion, with the former Real Madrid notably participating in the Celebrity Pro-Am at Wentworth this past September.

It was a star-studded event where he teed off alongside figures like retired tennis star Andy Murray (retired tennis star) and newly-crowned F1 world champion, Lando Norris.

However, he does serve as a football pundit as well, most recently commenting on Real Madrid’s defeat to Liverpool earlier in the season.