Gareth Bale has attempted to explain his struggles at Tottenham after he arrived on loan in the summer by claiming confidence is a huge part of his game.
The Welshman returned to Spurs at the start of this season with the Lilywhites hoping that he would fire them into the Premier League’s top four.
He came injured and was given time to get back to a good fitness level.
However, when Jose Mourinho fielded him in the first half of the campaign, he struggled with fans yearning for the Bale that tore apart Premier League defences during his first stint at the club.
The new year has seen him return to some form and he has helped Tottenham close in on the Champions League places.
Speaking while on international duty, the attacker spoke about how important confidence is to his game.
He says because he has to dribble and take risks, he has to feel very good about his body when he is on the pitch.
He explained via Sun Sports: “Confidence is a massive thing in football.
“Whether you are the best player or the worst, having confidence as a footballer — especially for me — is one of the most important things.
“Playing in the final third you need to take risks. You really need to feel good about yourself and to be able to beat a defender, shoot and score goals.
“I’m building my confidence up slowly which has been good — and that has shown in my performances and with scoring goals.
“I need to keep improving, keep putting in good performances. And then hopefully they can keep on getting better and better to lead into the Euros.”