All those games where he played centrally as the main man for Wales would have been great to watch a while in club football.
Gareth Bale | Golfer, ex-Footballer, Elbower of racists, ***********, Golf Ambassador, Bar Owner, Real Legend, Defibrillator
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Bale is clear of all those modern day players, I can't speak for the others.
In my unbiased opinion.
You can only admire how he's sticking it to Real and their fans.
Fair play to him.
Fair play to him.
I agree. In fact the Messi vs Ronaldo debate is really just to decide who is second to Gareth.
I'd love him to stick it to us by scoring in 2 champions league final victories.
Bale is better than any other modern era British player in my opinion and it's not even that close.
If he did that, he could stick it where ever he wanted....
I can’t agree with that. It’s definitely close. In my opinion, Rooney was a better footballer than Bale and was just as capable of the outrageous. He didn’t have his crazy speed and athleticism, but his technique, close control, vision and work rate were all better. I think Wayne was also more consistent and gave a lot more to the team off the ball.
I would definitely have him ahead of Bale on an all time list.
Well its all about opinions isn't it - Rooney was phenomenal as a teenager but Bale has been a much better player than Rooney over his career. I'd say most people outside of this forum would agree with that.
They absolutely wouldn't. Not even Real Madrid fans would
I don’t think they would. Rooney has a lot more quality performances under his belt than Bale, and it’s probably hundreds of games better off. I think consistency matters and Rooney was consistently brilliant for a decade. It certainly wasn’t just as a teenager.
Of course it’s about opinions, I wouldn’t begrudge that, but my point of contention was about it “not being close”. I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone who would suggest it wasn’t close between the two.
I don't think Id worry too much about Madrid fan's opinionsThey absolutely wouldn't. Not even Real Madrid fans would
It's just too bad he doesn't have another 5 years on his Madrid contract.
I don't think anyone would, in all seriousness. Bale had the potential to be a superstar but never quite did. Injuries, dedication, probably a certain level of disinterest for the game, all that played a part in him not quite reaching those heights consistently. He is definitely a big game player which is a great quality, but he's not above Rooney in anyone's mind (apart from deluded Spurs fans, who would also argue Kane is the best thing since sliced bread). As soon as something remotely touches their mediocre club, they tend to overhype to crazy extremes.They absolutely wouldn't. Not even Real Madrid fans would
No need for that jesus. Cant we have a normal debate about a player without talking smack and being a total arse? Was I derogatory at all toward Rooney or Utd? No I didnt think so. I gotta laugh at people like you who conflate their own status simply because of a football club you happen to support.
My status? What are you talking about?
You seem to have been quite offended about me characterising in such a way the "club you happen to support" (sic).
EDIT: what I wrote about Spurs supporters is absolutely true, btw
Unbelievably good footballer. Just a superb player.
In the same category with the likes of Robben for me (The group of Elite players behind Ronaldo and Messi).
In the same category with the likes of Robben for me (The group of Elite players behind Ronaldo and Messi).
My status? What are you talking about?
You seem to have been quite offended about me characterising in such a way the "club you happen to support" (sic).
EDIT: what I wrote about Spurs supporters is absolutely true, btw
You are basically talking down to me and dismissing my opinion because I happen to support Spurs - a 'mediocre' club - so that would suggest you wouldn't bother taking the opinions on board of anybody who happens to support a smaller club than Utd. You are being a complete and total arse and it was completely uncalled for that comment during what has been up to now a perfectly normal and reasonable conversation about a player. All hail you as a supporter of the mighty Utd, lets all bow down shall we?
Why not? Since this is the club where he spent the majority of his career of, according to you, historical greatness?
The fact is, Bale was a monumental flop for the majority of what was supposed to be his prime, sprinkled with a few great moments. And it's not only due to his injuries and apparent lack of appplication, it's also due to the fact that, apart from being a world class finisher, he can only run in a straight line.
That he had to be second in line to Ronaldo as a free kick taker, while undoubtedly being the better taker by a thousand country miles, is a tragicomical note on top.
Surely the vast majority of fans, neutral or not, would consider him nowhere near Rooney.
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You're reading way too much into the use of an objective adjective.
I'm disagreeing with your opinion because it's deluded.
Do you think Rooney was a superstar?
Yeah I don't know why it would be dismissed. The way he's conducted himself since he's been there is absolutely relevant to this conversation, there's no reason why it shouldn't be considered. Strange comment.
I think its pretty clear that everybody in Madrid appears to hate him but it's nothing to do with his talents as a player. There is a very clear bias against him.
Absolutely. You don't?
I have him fairly comfortably behind Robben, but he absolutely superb, it’s just I rate Robben that highly.
Probably because he’s been trolling them for years (hilariously). It’d be like asking Marvel fans their opinion on Sweet Square
It's due to how he's conducted himself at times, throughout his career there, and the way he's treated the club that pays his fat salary.
I have no sympathy for Real Madrid in this, but Madrid fans' opinion on Bale is absolutely relevant.
It isn't really as it's not based on his merits as a player - he has been unquestionably an absolutely brilliant player for Madrid when they have chosen to play him.
Without getting too far into the weeds with this one a narrative has been created in Spain that by this point has become so overwhelmingly toxic that even the most balanced Madrid fans are blinded to anything good that Bale may have done and their hatred is regularly fueled by vitriolic media hatchet jobs. The Madrid fans are a fairly unforgiving lot at the best of times but 3+ years of unrelenting negative press have brought us to the point where you could not get any kind of objective assessment of Bale from them.
That's an extremely narrow and simplistic take on it. There has been faults on both sides, but Bale has absolutely been unprofessional at times.
He knows this he is just being an arse trying to continue to get a rise out of me.
Best thread title on redcafe.One of the greatest British players without a doubt for me, however, a bit like Rooney, i get the feeling he could have done even more; it seems absolutely ridiculous to say that with what they both achieved but I think it's true.
I wonder if he had joined United in 2013 and had been unequivocally the 'main man' here whether he would have won a Balon D'or. His Champions league wins wouldn't have happened obviously but I wonder if he would have been more motivated to be the best.
I doubt either he or Rooney lose any sleep over it though
I wonder if he had joined United in 2013 and had been unequivocally the 'main man' here whether he would have won a Balon D'or. His Champions league wins wouldn't have happened obviously but I wonder if he would have been more motivated to be the best.
I doubt either he or Rooney lose any sleep over it though
He could have done more and the worst thing that happened to him was the aftermath of beating Liverpool for that 4th CL. Prior to the game it was clear that he was on the outs with Zidane and had been for most of the season and both Gareth and the club were ready to part company. The whole picture changed in the aftermath when Zidane quit and Ronaldo announced he wanted to leave and Perez decided that he wanted to keep Bale off the back off his match winning performance. Less than a year later Zidane rolled back into town, dropped him and then the demonization of Bale through the media began in earnest.
He's clearly in the conversation as one of the best British players. To suggest he's nowhere near or not even in the conversation is ridiculous. How you would rank him is entirely subjective, obviously, but what he's done at both club and international level with Wales is pretty special.
Apologies I didn't realise it was you that had posted that - I thought it was somebody else. You are not an arse at all.
I would say Bale's peak was higher (at his best he was up there with Neymar as the best in the world behind the two freaks), but Rooney had a good 8-9 years of consistent quality which was more than Bale put together. I think I might lean towards Bale, but it's certainly close.
And as Irwin99 said in the post just above, both probably could (and should) have been even better than they were.
It’s opinions, but he’s the best British player since the turn of the century for me. I can’t make much of a comment before this as I was too young.
His trophy haul is incredible, and he’s played a massive part in winning those trophies too - he wasn’t just in the background picking up medals with minimum input. His big-game moments is extraordinary. Ronaldo is the clutchiest player ever, but I think Bale is up there battling for number 2.
I can see why people may say Rooney etc - and even though he probably was a better technical player than Bale, I just don’t think I’d prefer another British player over him if I could only have one.
What he’s done for us (Wales) is fantastic. He has carried us magnificently. If he can guide us to a World Cup, I can’t stress how amazing it would be.
His trophy haul is incredible, and he’s played a massive part in winning those trophies too - he wasn’t just in the background picking up medals with minimum input. His big-game moments is extraordinary. Ronaldo is the clutchiest player ever, but I think Bale is up there battling for number 2.
I can see why people may say Rooney etc - and even though he probably was a better technical player than Bale, I just don’t think I’d prefer another British player over him if I could only have one.
What he’s done for us (Wales) is fantastic. He has carried us magnificently. If he can guide us to a World Cup, I can’t stress how amazing it would be.
Ok, let’s forget about United players. It cannot be plausibly argued that Bale was a greater footballer than Shearer.
More naturally gifted, possibly, but Shearer was the greater footballer without any question.
More naturally gifted, possibly, but Shearer was the greater footballer without any question.
Correct me if I'm wrong but "showing an ounce of human error" doesn't really seem like an accurate description of the behaviour he's being criticised for? Whether you think it's right or wrong to quite publicly express your apathy towards the company that's paying you huge wages, it doesn't fall into the category of a small mistake like he's describing.
He's made it clear that he doesn't care about Madrid and that's his prerogative, just seems odd to act like none of that ever happened now.