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Bale is known for his physical fitness, pace, skill, stamina and agility. He possesses good technique and ball control. At 14 years of age he ran 100 metre sprint in 11.4 seconds. Here are 50 interesting facts about the free-kick specialist from Wales -
- Gareth Frank Bale was born on July 16, 1989, in Cardiff, Wales.
- His father Frank is a school teacher and his mother Debbi is an operation manager.
- He attended Églways Newydd, Primary School at Whitchurch, Cardiff. At school, he was keen at athletic, rugby and hockey besides football.
- Bale’s superior athletic and footballing skill prompted his Physical Education teacher to devise a rule of one touch football, using only his right leg.
- In his final year at school, he was awarded for his service to sport, the PE department’s prize.
- Bale was first spotted by “Southampton FC,” when playing six a side match for his club, “Cardiff Civil Service Football Club.” He was nine years old.
- Bale’s hero is “Manchester United” international, Ryan Giggs a fellow Welshman.
- He lives in Madrid with his partner Emma Rhys-Jones and his daughter Alba Violet.
- He made his debut for Southampton’s match against “Millwall” on April 17, 2006. He is the second youngest player to debut for Southampton, after Theo Walcott.
- Bale scored his first goal in the league, from a free kick against “Derby County.” The match ended in a 2-2 draw.
- He came to be recognized as free kick specialist. His early goals in his career were mainly of free kicks.
- He was awarded the “Carwyn James Award” for the “BBC Wales Young Sports Personality of the Year” in Dec 2006.
- Though he was eligible to play for England, he felt it is an honor to represent Wales. His grandmother is from England.
- In his full season as professional footballer, he was praised for his creativity and his defending also improved as a left back. He was awarded the “Football League Young Player of the Year” on March 04, 2007.
- For the 2007-08 season Bale was transferred to “Tottenham Hotspur” for £7 million. Although he was reluctant to move but for the prospect of playing for the first team in the championship, changed his mind.
- As 18 year old, he made great impression for Spurs with three goals in his first four matches. But he was sidelined for rest of his season, due to ligament damage in his right ankle.
- Bale was out of competitive football for two months, due to knee operation in June 2009.
- Bale experienced his first premier league wins in a 5-0 thrashing of “Burnley F.C” on Sep 26, 2009. This is after 24 matches playing for Spurs without being in the winning side.
- His form improved from January 2010, when he made the starting eleven and had role in two goals out of 4-0 win against “Peterborough” in a “F.A Cup.”
- His performance earned him “Barclays Player of the Month” for April 2010. He helped “Tottenham Hotspur” qualify for the champion’s league. He signed a new four year contract with the club on May 07. 2010.
- His second goal, a volley in a 2-1 win against “Stoke City,” earned him the “Goal of the Month” in Aug 2010 from BBC.
- He cemented his place as left wing in the starting eleven, even after Assou-Ekotto’s return from injury. He was named as “Welsh Player of the Year” by FAW.
- He scored his first senior hat-trick in match against “Inter Milan” in the Champions League on Oct 20, 2010. Tottenham lost the match 4-3, after being 4-0 down with ten men for most part of the match.
- In December 2010 he was awarded the “2010 BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year.” He beat champion bowler Robert Weale and 400m hurdler Dai Greene to the award.
- With 11 goals in 36 club games, Bale was adjusted “Player of the Year” on April 17, 2011 for 2010-11 season by Professional Footballers Association.
- On December 03, 2011 when Bale scored the first goal in a 3-0 victory over “Bolton Wanderers,” he dedicated it to late Gary Speed. Bale stitched “R I P Gary Speed “on his left boot and held it aloft after scoring the goal.
- Bale was selected in the “UEFA Team of the Year 2011” on January 05, 2012. In the same month, he was voted as “Premier League Player of the Month,” the second of his career.
- Bale’s talent won him praise from “Tottenham” Manager, Harry Redknapp, who saluted Bale as a player without a “Weakness in his make-up.”
- For the 2011-12 season, he asked for change of jersey, as a forward. He changed the jersey number from, 3 to 11.
- The 2012-13 season was memorable for Bale. He won number of awards. He was adjudged, “Premier League Player of the Month for February,” “BBC’S Goal of the Month” for January and February and “PFA Players' Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year.”
- Bale enjoys playing for “Spurs” under manager Andre Villa-Boas, that he has given his daughter manager’s initials. His daughter’s name is Alba Violet Bale ( AVB )
- Bale is the one of the two players to win three awards in the same year. Cristiano Ronaldo is the other.
- Bale was transferred to “Real Madrid F.C” for a fee of £85.3 million on September 1, 2013. It was a world record fee transfer then.
- His stint with “Real Madrid,” was plagued by injuries. He gradually started to impress and was nicknamed by the Spanish press as “The Cannon.”He ended the season with 22 goals and 16 assists.
- Bale became the first Welsh man to score in the “UEFA Champions League Final,” when “Real Madrid” beat “Atletico Madrid, 4-1.
- Playing for “Real Madrid” Bale, won his third trophy, the “2014 UEFA Super Cup” in a 2-0 win over “Sevilla.” His performance in the match won him praise from teammate “Cristiano Ronaldo.”
- Bale was the youngest Welshman to make his debut for “Wales.” He played as a substitute in a 2-1 win against “Trinidad and Tobago” on May 27, 2006.
- Bale is also the youngest to score for the “Wales,” in an international match. He scored with a free kick against “Slovakia” in the 2008 Euro qualification match.
- When he scored in a 2-1 win over “Andorra” in the 2016 “UEFA Euro qualifying campaign,” he became 10th all-time goal scorer for “Wales” with 14 goals.
- In defiance of “Wales” football association, he showed interest in representing “Great Britain Football Team” in the 2012 Olympics. However he pulled out of the tournament due to back injury.
- Bale was the first player to be photographed, modeling “Britain’s Olympic football supporter’s shirt for 2012 London Olympic.
- Bale’s quick recovery from injury and his appearance for the “Spurs” Pre-season tour coincided with “Britain’s” exit from Olympic, prompted supporter’s call for sanctions against Bale and ”Spurs” pre-season tour. “Great Britain” lost to “South Korea” 4-5 in a shoot out at the quarter final stage.
- According to BBC’s football pundit Mark Lawrenson, Bale is special because of his quickness and uses his technique at great pace.
- He was accused of diving and was booked for simulation five times since August 2008. The most for any player at that time.
- On March 26, 2013, Bale filed an application to register a logo based on his “Heart” goal celebration with his jersey number 11 in the center.
- Bale has an endorsement deal with “Adidas,” who produced a lightest football boot F50 Crzylight, weighing only 135 grams. He was the first to use it.
- On November 2014, Bale along with top footballers around the world appeared for FIFA’s campaign against “Ebola” with the slogan “Together we can beat Ebola.”
