Watch: New Gareth Bale documentary to air on BBC Wales

The greatest Welsh footballer of all time features in a new documentary to be broadcast on BBC Wales this Friday.

Gareth Bale is the latest subject of Legends of Welsh Sport which looks back on some of the greatest and most inspiring sportsmen and women Wales has ever produced.

Cardiff-born Bale is is the nation’s most-capped male player and record men’s goal scorer. He helped lead Wales to two consecutive Euro Championships, and last year, captained Wales at their first World Cup since 1958, before retiring from football at the age of 33.

A five-time Champions League winner, Bale’s glittering 17-year career began at Southampton in 2006 before joining Tottenham Hotspur a year later. Whilst at Spurs, he was twice named footballer of the year, and caught the eye of football giants Real Madrid, who swooped in with a then world-record fee of over £80m for the Welshman.

“I literally feel like I’m just another Welshman.”

This is the story of arguably Wales’ greatest ever footballer ️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿⚽️

🏆 Legends of Welsh Sport: Gareth Bale
📺 Friday at 9pm on BBC One Wales pic.twitter.com/aPcrYQ8t1A

— BBC Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@BBCWales) March 22, 2023

In a nine-year spell with the Spaniards, Bale would help them lift three league titles and five Champions League titles – something no other British player has done – as well as numerous other trophies. Injuries and inconsistent form would hamper his later years with Real Madrid though, and he would leave for his final club, Los Angeles FC, once his contract expired in 2022.

His passion and desire to put on the Welsh jersey never faltered though and he became a talisman for the nation over the years, ending his career after the World Cup in Qatar with 41 goals over 111 appearances.

This programme features new interviews with some of the players and coaches who know Bale best including former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp, Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric, current Wales manager Rob Page and former England international Theo Walcott, who came through the ranks of the Southampton youth academy with Bale.

LEGENDS OF WELSH SPORT: GARETH BALE
Friday, 24 March
BBC One Wales, 9pm
Also available on iPlayer from 6am Friday, with a network transmission around the UK on Saturday 1 April.