Gareth Bale can be described as one of the unfulfilled stars of the last decade in world football, who, despite his high abilities, could not achieve what he deserved and eventually bid farewell to the green rectangle at the age of 33.

Bale, who now professionally pursues his other passion, golf, did not rule out a possible return to football as a coach in his latest interview and also spoke about his time at Real Madrid.

Bale told Metro newspaper about his retirement: “I always knew retirement would be a definitive stage, and I spoke to many former players about it, and they gave me good advice.

For me, spending quality time with my family, taking my children to school, and being with them on weekends has been an incredible experience. As everyone knows, football schedules are very busy, so having this free time while my children are still young is priceless.”

When asked about his proudest moment, Bale recalled his successes with Real Madrid and the Wales national team: “It’s hard to choose just one. Of course, winning the Champions League was my childhood dream, and achieving it five times is something I will always cherish.

For Wales, it’s no less significant. Euro 2016 was a special experience in my life, and qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in 64 years and leading the team as captain is something I am proud of.”

Bale also spoke about Real Madrid’s interest in him in 2013 before his transfer: “As a player, you always dream of playing for the biggest clubs and winning the biggest trophies. So, when the opportunity to play for Real Madrid, a club I loved since childhood, came up, I couldn’t turn it down.

I can’t speak for others, but for myself, when this opportunity came, I couldn’t say no. Everyone knows I was a Real Madrid fan since childhood, and there’s a photo of me in their shirt as a kid. So, it was natural to dream of playing at the Bernabéu.”

When asked about his future plans and a potential return to football as a coach or manager, Bale added: “Right now, I’m enjoying my time with my family. Football has been part of my life since I learned to walk. So, I’m taking this time to rest, but no one knows what the future holds.”