Wales captain Gareth Bale announced his retirement from football on January 9, 2023 at the age of 33.The former Tottenham and Real Madrid forward called time on a glittering career as one of the most decorated players of his generation."I feel incredibly fortunate to have realised my dream of playing the sport I love, said Bale, who wrapped up his club career with LAFC in the USA before representing Wales at the Qatar 2022 World Cup."It football has truly given me some of the best moments of my life," added Bale."The highest of highs over 17 seasons, that will be impo sible to replicate, no matter what the next chapter has in store for me."MORE:TeamYearsGoalsMatchesWales2006-202240111Southampton(England)2005-2007545Tottenham(England)2007-2013, Cam Lewis Jersey 2020-202172237Real Madrid(Spain)2013-2020,2021-2022106258LAFC(USA)2022314TOTALS(17 years)226665 Although he didn't expre sly state it in his send-off me sage, injuries had increasingly sapped Bale over recent years and contributed to limit his playing time.A formidable wide attacker at his peak, ble sed with nigh-on unplayable pace and power, Bale last started more than 20 league matches in a single campaign back in the 2018/19 season at Madrid a turbulent one for Los Blancos as Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari were both dismi sed as head coach.Zinedine Zidane returned for a second spell in charge after Solaris downfall, having overseen three consecutive Champions League succe ses.Bale did not form part of his plans, which meant a loan return to Tottenham in 2020/21. Although he managed 11 Premier League goals, half of his appearances Zack Moss Jersey came from the bench in what proved to be his final season in England's top flight.He returned to Madrid to play a bit-part role in their 2021/22 commitments under another returning bo s, Carlo Ancelotti, before a swansong in Los Angeles.Once again, injuries blighted Bale and he started just twice for LAFC in 13 appearances. His insatiable appetite for the big occasion remained as he headed a last-minute equaliser against Philadelphia Union before a triumph on penalties in the MLS Cup final.We'll never forget Gareth Bale's final profe sional goal (: on ESPNLA) ESPN Los Angeles (@ESPNLosAngeles) But , Bale could also afford to retire early with a net worth reaching 119 million (135 million) and busine s interests in bars, a mini-golf location, a whisky distillery, and a new golf venture with Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy called TGL.(England) (England) (Spain) (USA) (USA) (USA) (USA) (USA) (USA) (USA) (USA) (USA) (USA) (USA) (USA) (USA)SeasonClubGoalsMatches2005/06Southampton022006/07Southampton5432007/08Tottenham3122008/09Tottenham0302009/10Tottenham3342010/11Tottenham11412011/12Tottenham13422012/13Tottenham26442013/14Real Madrid22442014/15Real Madrid17482015/16Real Madrid19312016/17Real Madrid9272017/18Real Madrid21392018/19Real Madrid14422019/20Real Madrid3202020/21Tottenham16342021/22Real Madrid/LAFC421 That dramatic leveler for LAFC and his penalty against the United States at the World Cup to earn Wales their only point of the competition served as final flourishes for Bale.At his peak, he was one of the most feared attackers on the planet, forming part of the celebrated 'BBC' forward line alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema at the Santiago Bernabeu.After coming through the ranks as an attacking left-back at Southampton, Bale moved to Tottenham and flourished when deployed as an attacker by Harry Redknapp. He was twice named PFA Players Player of the Year after stunning Premier League campaigns in 2010/11 and 2012/13.That paved the way for a then world-record 80 million move to Real Madrid in 2013 and the start of a record-breaking era.This Gareth Bale solo goal against Barcelona will remain one of the best Matt Milano Jersey individual goals in Cla sico history! #JoySports (@JoySportsGH) Bale endured a difficult relationship with Madrids demanding fanbase at times, but he scored a sensational solo goal to down Barcelona in the Josh Allen T Shirts 2014 Copa del Rey final. A month later, he netted the game-breaking goal in a 4-1 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final.Two years later, Bale converted in a shootout when Madrid again beat their city rivals in the European showpiece at San Siro. Injuries, most notably a debilitating calf complaint, took a toll during 2016/17, meaning Bale was only a substitute in his native Cardiff as Madrid went back-to-back in a 4-1 win over Juventus.He came off the bench again, the relationship with Zidane clearly strained by this point, when Madrid faced Liverpool in the 2018 final in Kyiv. It proved to be his finest hour as a spectacular overhead kick put Madrid ahead before he sealed a 3-1 win and a third-consecutive Champions League win with his second of the night.Bale collected his fifth Champions League medal in 2021/22, although he was little more than a cheerleader under Ancelotti. He left Spain with three title triumphs in LaLiga and the same number of winners medals in the Club World Cup, having scored 106 times for the club.Gareth Bale, the definition of a big game player DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) Gareth Bale Brandin Bryant Jersey Champions League careerSeasonClubStageReachedMatchesGoals2010/11TottenhamQuarterfinals942013/14Real MadridChampions1262014/15Real MadridSemifinals1022015/16Real MadridChampions802016/17Real MadridChampions822017/18Real MadridChampions732018/19Real MadridRd of 16732019/20Real MadridRd of 16302021/22Real MadridChampions20TOTALS(9 editions)(5 titles)6620 For all those achievements in the Spanish capital, Bale will be defined in the eyes of many by his exploits for Wales.There is a strong argument that he has risen above the likes of John Charles and Ryan Giggs to be considered his nations greatest-ever player. Certainly only former Juventus favourite Charles comes close to him when considering who might be British footballs finest export.Wales had not featured in a major tournament since Charles era, where a teenaged Pele ended their interest in the 1958 World Cup at the quarter-final stage.For Bale, getting Wales back among the world's elite became a defining mi sion. He achieved it when they reached Euro 2016, with the generation of Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen succeeding where the likes of Giggs, Ian Rush and Neville Southall had come up short.Drawn alongside Slovakia, England and Ru sia, Bale scored in each game as Wales finished top of their group. Northern Ireland were dispatched in a last-16 'Battle of Britain' in Paris before a victory for the ages as Chris Colemans side overcame a talent-stacked Belgium