Gareth Bale announces retirement from football

Wales captain calls time on glittering career aged just 33

Gareth Bale kisses the Uefa Champions League trophy following Real Madrid's win over Liverpool at NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv on May 26, 2018. Getty

Gareth Bale scores an overhead kick for Real Madrid in the 2018 Champions League final win over Liverpool. Getty

Gareth Bale on his Wales debut against Trinidad and Tobago in the Graz-Liebenau Stadium in Graz, Austria, on May 27, 2006. Getty

Gareth Bale during a Wales training session at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, in October 2006. Getty

Gareth Bale scores from a free kick for Wales during the Euro 2008 qualifying match against Slovakia in Cardiff on October 7, 2006. Getty

Southampton's Gareth Bale battles with Sylvain Legwinski of Ipswich during the Championship match at St Mary's Stadium in February 2007. Getty

Gareth Bale of Southampton applauds the fans after the Championship match against Colchester United at St Mary's Stadium in March 2007. Getty

Left to right: New Tottenham signings Younes Kaboul, Darren Bent and Gareth Bale on July 5, 2007. Getty

Gareth Bale in action for Tottenham against Arsenal during the Premier League match at White Hart Lane in September 2007. Getty

Tottenham's Gareth Bale battles with Mihael Mikic of Dinamo Zagreb during the Uefa Cup match at White Hart Lane in November 2008. Getty

Gareth Bale of Tottenham ahead of the Premier League match against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium in September 2007. Getty

Spurs' Gareth Bale is challenged by Maurizio Domizzi of Udinese during the Uefa Cup match at the Stadio Friuli in October 2008. Getty

Gareth Bale of Tottenham crosses the ball during the League Cup fourth-round match against Liverpool at White Hart Lane in November 2008. Getty

Spurs' Gareth Bale argues with referee Howard Webb after he awarded a penalty during the Premier League match against Liverpool at Anfield in January 2010. Getty

Gareth Bale of Spurs and West Ham's Kieron Dyer compete for the ball during the Premier League match at Upton Park in September 2010. Getty

Gareth Bale celebrates scoring for Wales in their World Cup qualifier against Scotland at Cardiff City Stadium in October 2012. Getty

Gareth Bale at the Santiago Bernabeu after joining Real Madrid in September 2013. Getty

Real Madrid's Gareth Bale celebrates after scoring during the Spanish Copa del Rey final against Barcelona at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia in April 2014. AFP

Wales forward Gareth Bale is mobbed after scoring during the Euro 2016 match against Slovakia at the Stade de Bordeaux in July 2016. AFP

Gareth Bale of Real Madrid lifts the Champions League trophy after beating Juventus in the 2017 final in Cardiff. Getty

Real Madrid's Gareth Bale battles with Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany during their International Champions Cup pre-season friendly match at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in July 2017. AFP

Gareth Bale celebrates scoring Real Madrid's second goal during the Champions League final against Liverpool in 2018. Getty

Gareth Bale celebrates after Wales' second goal during the Euro 2020 match against Turkey at Baku Olympic Stadium in June 2021. Getty

Gareth Bale is unveiled as a Los Angeles FC player in July 2022. AFP

Gareth Bale waves to Los Angeles FC fans before a game against the Los Angeles Galaxy at Banc of California Stadium in July 2022. Getty

LAFC's Gareth Bale looks on during the Leagues Cup friendly football match between USA's Los Angeles FC and Mexico's Club America at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on August 3, 2022. AFP

Gareth Bale celebrates after Wales's victory in the 2022 World Cup play-off against Austria at Cardiff City Stadium in March 2022. Getty

Gareth Bale during his final match for Wales - a Qatar World Cup defeat against England on November 29, 2022. AFP

Wales captain Gareth Bale has announced his retirement from football aged just 33.

The former Southampton, Tottenham and Real Madrid forward made his final competitive appearance during Wales’ World Cup group stage fixture with England on November 29.

He ended his club career playing in the US with Los Angeles FC, and scored a dramatic equaliser in extra time to help his side win the MLS Cup in November.

Bale, his country's most-capped men’s player with 111 appearances and top scorer with 41 goals, wrote on his social media accounts: “After careful and thoughtful consideration, I announce my immediate retirement from club and international football.

“I feel incredibly fortunate to have realised my dream of playing the sport I love.

“It has truly given me some of the best moments of my life. The highest of highs over 17 seasons, that will be impossible to replicate, no matter what the next chapter has in store for me.”

It was during his spell at Spanish giants Real Madrid that Bale's club career hit glittering new highs.

After joining Real from Tottenham Hotspur for €100 million in 2013, Bale went on to win 16 major trophies at the club, including five Champions Leagues, three La Ligas and one Copa del Rey.

He also won three Fifa Club World Cups, three Uefa Super Cups and a Spanish Super Cup.

The 32-year-old scored more than 100 goals for Real, three of them coming in Champions League finals, including a stunning overhead-kick against Liverpool in 2018.

“From my very first touch at Southampton to my last with LAFC and everything in between, shaped a club career that I have an immense pride and gratitude for," added Bale in his statement. "Playing for and captaining my country 111 times has truly been a dream come true.

“To show my gratitude to all of those that have played their part along this journey, feels like an impossibility. I feel indebted to many people for helping to change my life and shape my career in a way I couldn’t have ever dreamed of when I first started out at nine years old.

“To my previous clubs, Southampton, Tottenham, Real Madrid and finally LAFC. All of my previous managers and coaches, back room staff, team mates, all the dedicated fans, my agents, my amazing friends and family, the impact you have had is immeasurable.”

Bale led his country from the international football wilderness to qualify for two European Championships, reaching the semi-finals of Euro 2016, and a first World Cup since 1958.

Bale scored from the penalty spot in Wales' 1-1 draw with USA in Qatar, but defeats to Iran and England saw Wales bow out in the group stage.

While the five-time Champions League winner insisted that he may carry on, the Cardiff-born attacker has now decided to hang up his boots.

"My decision to retire from international football has been by far the hardest of my career," Bale added.

"How do I describe what being a part of this country and team means to me? How do I articulate the impact it has had on my life? How do I put into words the way I felt every single time I put on that Welsh shirt? My answer is that I couldn't possibly do any of those things justice simply with words.

"But I know that every person involved in Welsh football feels the magic and is impacted in such a powerful and unique way, so I know you feel what I feel without using any words at all.

"My journey on the international stage is one that has changed not only my life but who I am. The fortune of being Welsh and being selected to play for and captain Wales has given me something incomparable to anything else I've experienced.

"I'm honoured and humbled to have been able to play a part in the history of this incredible country, to have felt the support and passion of the Red Wall and together have been to unexpected and amazing places.