Bale writes goodbye letter to Real Madrid: 'This dream became a reality'
From left: Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid's Welsh forward Gareth Bale and Real Madrid's French defender Ferland Mendy look at the ball during a training session at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on May 27, 2022, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League final match against Liverpool FC.
Despite his heroics in the Champions League final in 2018, Bale's role had already been significantly reduced that season under Zidane and his influence continued to dwindle even as new coaches like Julen Lopetegui, Santiago Solari, Zidane again, and most recently, Carlo Ancelotti, took charge.
Last season, Bale played only five times in La Liga and seven minutes in the Champions League, again saving his best for Wales, as he scored a hat-trick against Belarus in September and then twice against Austria in March to keep their World Cup qualification hopes alive.
Madrid
Gareth Bale wrote a farewell letter to Real Madrid on Wednesday, the Welshman bringing an end to his nine-year spell at the Spanish club, where he said his "dream became a reality".
