Los Angeles confirm signing of former Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale

Los Angeles FC on Monday announced that the Major League Soccer (MLS) club have signed forward Gareth Bale to a 12-month contract with options through 2024.

A five-time UEFA Champions League winner, Bale joins LAFC following a successful nine-year career with La Liga's Real Madrid that saw him win an unprecedented 19 trophies since 2013.

Goal-scorer in the 2014 and 2018 Champions League Final, Bale was named the Best Player of the 2018 Champions League and won the Golden Ball at the 2018 Club World Cup.

Bale, 32, is considered one of the greatest Welsh players of all time and has made 105 appearances for Wales since 2006, scoring 28 goals and registering 22 assists.

Bale was instrumental in leading Wales to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, securing their first appearance in the tournament in 64 years. He also helped lead Wales into the Round of 16 of the UEFA 2020 European Championship.

"I am extremely excited for this move to LAFC," Bale said. "This is the right place for me and my family and the right time in my career, and I cannot wait to get started working with the team and getting ready to win more trophies in Los Angeles."

A Cardiff, Wales native, Bale made his professional debut in 2006 at 16 with English Championship club Southampton before moving to Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League in 2007. During his time with Tottenham, he was named the PFA Men's Player of the Year in 2011 and 2012 and selected to the 2011 UEFA Team of the Year.

He joined Cristiano Ronaldo as just the second player in history to win the PFA Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year when he did it in 2012. From 2007-2013 he scored 42 goals in 146 appearances for the Spurs. Bale also scored 11 goals and tallied two assists with Tottenham during the 2020-2021 EPL season while on loan from Real Madrid.

Bale joined Real Madrid in 2013 and finished his time there as an official club legend, making 258 appearances and registering 106 goals and 67 assists across all competitions - including 176 games in LaLiga. He was a major part of an incredible era at Real Madrid winning 19 trophies, including: five UEFA European Championships, four Club World Cups, three UEFA Super Cups, three LaLiga titles, one Copa del Rey and three Spanish Super Cups.

Bale was awarded an MBE by Queen Elizabeth of England on June 2 as part of the Queen's Birthday Honours List. The award stands for "Member of the Order of the British Empire" and Bale received it for services to football and charity. Bale has donated significantly to hospitals in Wales and Spain to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic.