Gareth Bale, the legendary Welsh football captain, retired from the game in January 2023, ending a career that saw him become his country's most-capped player with 111 appearances and record goalscorer with 41 international goals. He led Wales to three major tournaments, including their first World Cup in 64 years.
Retirement reasons revealed
Speaking to GQ Magazine last year, the 37-year-old said his retirement was largely motivated by his father Frank becoming unwell. "My dad got ill and that played a massive role in my decision," he explained. "People don't know what anyone's going through at home but I soon realised there's more to life than just football."
He added: "I achieved so much in my career so playing in a World Cup was pretty much the last thing that I wanted to achieve. It didn’t go amazingly well for us, but it was the first time in 64 years. After that, I didn't feel like I had anything else left to achieve, goal-wise."
Family time and new ventures
Since retiring, Bale has spent as much time as possible with his family, including his wife Emma-Rhys Jones and their four children. He told WalesOnline last year that his kids keep him "very busy" in retirement, with "a lot of taxi driving" now taking up much of his time.
Bale has also built an impressive business portfolio, boasting a net worth of around £120 million. He has confirmed interest in football club ownership after an unsuccessful attempt to buy Cardiff City, and earlier this summer launched a new sports investment fund with John Shulman and Juggernaut Capital Partners, targeting opportunities in men's and women's sport in Europe and North America.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Bale revealed he had been planning for life after retirement for almost a decade: "I've been planning it since I was about 26 or 27. I always said when I retired that I wanted one, two, three years to decompress and enjoy with the kids, then try to find a few paths I want to go down."
