Tottenham Hotspur confirmed that former star Gareth Bale will be present for the much-anticipated London derby against Chelsea on Monday as a special guest.
Gareth Bale, who had two spells with the club, was signed from Southampton in the summer of 2007. He scored 71 goals in 237 appearances during his time at Tottenham.
Bale’s career at Tottenham was marked by numerous highlights, including his instrumental role in helping the team secure Champions League qualification in 2010. He delivered memorable performances, including a hat-trick against Inter Milan at the San Siro.
During his time with the club, he was named PFA Player of the Year in 2010/11 and 2012/13, earning recognition for his outstanding contributions.
In the final season at Spurs, Bale scored 26 goals in all competitions, leaving a lasting impact before departing for Real Madrid in August 2013.
Bale made a dream return to Tottenham in the 2020/21 season on loan from Madrid contributing to another 16 goals to the club.
The 34-year-old’s retirement from football earlier this year took the football world by surprise, despite interest from Championship side Cardiff City and Ryan Reynolds-backed AFC Wrexham to persuade him to reconsider.
In a social media announcement, he expressed gratitude for the experiences and moments the sport had provided him throughout his 17-year career, acknowledging that certain highs would be impossible to replicate in the next chapter of his life.
He wrote:
“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.”
TBH Says:
He is not the only former Tottenham making a return to the club tomorrow. Mauricio Pochettino who now manages Chelsea is going to returning to the North London club as well however, the reception he gets from Spurs fans might not be the same as what Bale will get.
Many believe Pochettino could be getting a hostile reception from Tottenham fans after he went back on his words and joined their rivals Chelsea.
In Pochettino’s defense, he was desperate to return to Spurs after Conte’s sacking but Levy was not interested and went with Ange instead. And what a brilliant decision that has turned out to be.
