Former striker Gareth Bale has revealed his former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo would be furious in the dressing room if he failed to score, even if Real Madrid won.
"Ronaldo is like everyone else. He has his moments of incompetence," Bale told Martin Borgmeier's YouTube channel at the BMW International Open Pro-Am golf tournament. "For example, if Real Madrid win 5-0 and Ronaldo doesn't score, he'll throw his shoes in the locker room. It's like your team wins the Ryder Cup and you don't score any points."
The former Wales striker admitted that many Real players feared Ronaldo's angry reaction. But he said the Portuguese star's reaction was normal and the two maintained a good relationship.
Bale (left) and Ronaldo when they played for Real. Photo: AFP
Bale played with Ronaldo at Real from 2013 to 2018, forming a famous attacking trio with Karim Benzema that won every title, including four Champions Leagues. Ronaldo personally won four Ballon d'Ors, bringing his total to five, second only to Lionel Messi.
Bale was previously asked whether Ronaldo had thanked the team for helping him win the Ballon d'Or. Initially, the 33-year-old said: "I don't know. I think Ronaldo did." But when he spotted the camera, he pointed to it and changed his tone. "Ronaldo always thanks the team," he said, laughing.
In addition to Real, Bale also played for Tottenham from 2007-2013 and the 2020-2021 season on loan, but did not win any titles. Comparing playing for these two clubs, he replied: "I prefer Tottenham because it is more like a family than Real and everyone is English. But I prefer Real in terms of expertise."
After leaving Real, Bale spent five months with Los Angeles FC, scoring three goals in 13 games, winning the MLS Cup and the Supporters' Shield. In January 2023, he announced his retirement after 17 years of professional play.
After Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami, Bale told the Argentine star that American teams tend to accept defeat more easily than big European teams, because there is no relegation. He said: "At Real, if you lose, the whole world collapses. You go home and you are not happy. But in America, they accept it more easily. In America, when you lose a game, you just look forward to the next game."
In January, Ronaldo signed a contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr until 2025 and earned $200 million a year. In the second half of the 2022-2023 season, the Portuguese striker scored 14 goals in 19 matches, but Al Nassr did not win any titles. In the summer transfer window of 2023, Ronaldo's former teammate Benzema and former Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante joined Al Ittihad.
Hong Duy
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