Gareth Bale gave an exclusive interview to SW, discussing his life after retirement. He expressed his satisfaction with his career achievements and felt flattered to be ranked alongside players like Best and Charlton.
Three years after retiring, the Welsh legend and five-time Champions League winner spoke about stepping away from the pressure of Real Madrid, taking his children to school, how golf had been his way of relaxing long before he hung up his boots, and his true feelings about being named one of the greatest British players of all time. From proving himself as a young player in Cardiff to participating in the 2016 European Championship, the World Cup, and winning the Champions League five times , Bale reflected on his career, the sacrifices along the way, and why he is not in a hurry to decide what to do next.
Gareth, welcome to SW. First of all, how was your day? Are you alright?
Yes, today was perfect. It might have been even better if we could have spent more time outdoors. But overall, I had a great day. Completing the entire shoot was fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed the process.
It's a pleasure to sit down and chat with you. I don't know if you've ever searched your name, but I did before today's interview. The search results for your achievements are plentiful, including Champions League and league titles. One frequent claim is that you're "the greatest footballer in British history." Some people compare you to George Best and Bobby Charlton. What does being included in such a list mean to you?
Hmm, I find it a bit strange. Of course, I'm flattered, but I've always believed that such evaluations should be left to others, not to myself.
After retiring, will you look back on your career and see what you have accomplished?
Yes, I am very satisfied with everything I have done in my life. If someone had told me I would achieve these things before I became a professional football player, I probably wouldn't have believed it at all.
So, it's truly incredible to have achieved something like this. Now I can look back, enjoy the experience, and savor those wonderful memories.
Of course, your career has always been in the public eye, and you've stood at the top of the sport. But perhaps not many people truly understand Gareth Bale. In your own words, what kind of person are you? And what kind of person is Gareth Bale?
I think this is actually the lifestyle I've always wanted. I'm a pretty quiet person, I like spending time at home with my family, all I want to do is play football and then go home. So, I might be a little mysterious, but I'm just an ordinary person, a bit boring, easily satisfied, and right now I'm just enjoying life.
How is your life now that you're away from the spotlight?
Yes, I still enjoy it. The pressure of not having to perform in front of a global audience every week is significantly less. It feels good to be temporarily free from that pressure, and I enjoy my life now, being able to spend more time with my children and wife.
It's about being a father and a husband, doing simple things that I might not have had time for before. Like watching my son play soccer on weekends, taking my daughters to school—these things are wonderful now. When you're playing soccer, you're always recovering, preparing for matches, and running around; those ordinary moments in life are easily overlooked. Now, being able to stay home, be a father and a good husband, and enjoy family life feels great.
Picking up and dropping off children at school brings another kind of pressure: you have to get them to school on time. Mornings can be really tough sometimes.
I saw that you mentioned that after deciding to retire, you hoped to spend a few years with your family. How special was that experience for you?
It's truly wonderful. Like I said before, taking the kids to and from school was something I couldn't do often before. Now I can spend time with them and watch them grow up. My eldest daughter is 13 now, and she was only 10 months old when we moved to Madrid. Her childhood went by so fast, and I always feel like I missed out on so much, like birthday parties, taking them to school, and going to the park together.
Therefore, being able to truly spend quality time with them after retiring is very important to me. Compared to the fatherly role I was somewhat absent from due to my career, I can now be with them more often. I can also spend more time with my wife. She has been outstanding throughout my career, supporting everything I've done, being the pillar of the family, and shouldering everything. Now I can help out more at home and really enjoy being with my family.
How do you usually spend your day these days?
Now I get up a little earlier than before to help with morning preparations, like waking the kids and getting them ready for school. But overall, each day is a little different. Of course, I also have some work to do.
Now that the kids are in school, my wife and I have more time to spend together. We also have our own hobbies; for example, I enjoy playing golf and practice regularly. On days like today, it's perfect to go out and play golf with friends. I also do other things that interest me, and now I have more time to dedicate to them. Although I may have more free time, I actually feel busier than before because of all the different things I have to do every day. However, I still really enjoy my current lifestyle.
