Gareth Bale: Real Madrid forward a British great - Gary Lineker
Last updated on .From the section European Football
Real Madrid and Wales forward Gareth Bale is one of the "best British players of all time", says former England striker Gary Lineker.
Since joining the Spanish giants from Tottenham for £85m in 2013, Bale has won a La Liga title, two Champions Leagues and the Copa del Rey.
The 27-year-old has scored 67 goals in 149 appearances for Los Blancos.
"I'd put him right up there," said Match of the Day presenter Lineker. "He has certainly got to be in the top 10."
Bale is an injury doubt for Saturday's Champions League final against Italian side Juventus in his home city of Cardiff, having damaged his calf on 23 April.
He scored to help Real beat Atletico Madrid 4-1 after extra time in the 2014 final and he also netted from the spot as his side overcame Atletico 5-3 on penalties in the 2016 showpiece.
"[Bale's] won a lot of things, helped Wales be more successful than they have been in a long time, and he is playing for one of the giants of world football, so he is right up there and still in his prime," added former Tottenham striker Lineker.
"I have always loved him as a player. He is a wonderfully gifted footballer. I am sure he really wants to be part of this final, in his home town.
"He has had his share of injuries this season, which is a shame. But overall at Real Madrid he has proven himself as a world-class player.
"This game is not going to define him one way or the other, but it could add to [his reputation]."
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For perspective just take a rough post war top 3 by decade:
50s: Matthew Finney Wright
60s: Best Moore Charlton
70s: Dalglish Keegan Shilton
80s: Robson Rush Souness
90s: Giggs Gascoigne Shearer
00s: Scholes Gerrard Rooney
+ this still omits Edwards Blanchflower Greaves Banks Law Charles Jennings, Southall etc
How would bobby moore stop a messi or ronaldo?
THE SAME WAY HE STOPPED PELE
you plank
.
1.) Best
2.) Moore
3.) Gascoigne
4.) Charlton
5.) Shearer
6.) Giggs
7.) Banks
8.) Shilton
9.) Matthews
10.) Edwards
Not even including the likes of Gerrard, Lampard, Dalgleish, etc.
Just sounds like a random conversation with someone who used to play football many years ago and got lots of tap ins because he was a goal hanger.
Out of his depth are you mad. Did you not see his champions league goal which he started from his own half of the field, got fouled and ended up running off the pitch and around the defender before beating the goal keeper. Also this year he scored against athletico madrid and that's in between an injury hit season!