Bale retires at 33 with 5 CL titles, many Wales memories

By STEVE DOUGLAS and RON BLUM The Associated Press

FILE - Wales' Gareth Bale celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the World Cup, group B soccer match between the United States and Wales, at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Monday, Nov. 21, 2022. Gareth Bale is retiring from soccer at age 33 after setting a Wales record with 41 international goals. “My decision to retire from International football has been by far the hardest of my career,” Bale said in a statement Monday, Jan. 9, 2023.(AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Ashley Landis]

Gareth Bale is retiring from soccer at age 33 after setting a Wales record with 41 international goals. Bale’s last match was a 3-0 loss to England at the World Cup on Nov. 29, his 111th international appearance. Bale also says he is retiring from club football. He scored 53 Premier Leagues goals and 81 in La Liga. Bale helped Wales reach the semifinals of the 2016 European Championship and to qualify for its first World Cup since 1958. He won five Champions League titles, three Spanish league titles, one Copa del Rey and one League Cup.

FILE - Wales' Gareth Bale takes a shot during the World Cup 2022 playoff soccer match between Wales and Austria at Cardiff City stadium, in Cardiff, Britain, Thursday, March 24, 2022. Gareth Bale is retiring from soccer at age 33 after setting a Wales record with 41 international goals. “My decision to retire from International football has been by far the hardest of my career,” Bale said in a statement Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matt Dunham

FILE - Wales' Gareth Bale runs during the World Cup group B soccer match between England and Wales, at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan , Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. Gareth Bale is retiring from soccer at age 33 after setting a Wales record with 41 international goals. “My decision to retire from International football has been by far the hardest of my career,” Bale said in a statement Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, Fil)

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Frank Augstein

FILE - Southampton's Gareth Bale, left, gets away from Manchester City Hatem Trabelsi, centre, and Ousmane Dabo, right, during their FA Cup fourth round soccer match at the City of Manchester stadium, Manchester, England, Sunday Jan. 28, 2007. Bale has announced on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, his retirement from soccer at age 33. He scored 53 Premier Leagues goals and 81 in La Liga, finishing last season by helping Los Angeles win the Major League Soccer title. Bale won five Champions League titles, three Spanish league titles, one Copa del Rey and one League Cup. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson, File)

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/DAVE THOMPSON