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Gareth Bale. | Photo courtesy of Jan S0L0/WIkimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
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LAFC forward Gareth Bale, considered one of the greatest Welsh players of all time, announced his retirement Monday from professional soccer.
The 33-year-old Bale joined LAFC in June of 2022 and made 13 appearances with the club, scoring three goals, including a dramatic header during overtime stoppage time of the MLS Cup that tied the match and sent it to penalty kicks. LAFC prevailed to claim the club’s first MLS title.
“We want to thank Gareth for everything he brought to our club,” LAFC Co-President/General Manager John Thorrington said in a statement. “He arrived here with a goal to win championships in L.A., and, like he has done everywhere else in his career, he succeeded. It was an honor to have one of the most talented, dynamic and exciting players of his generation finish his career with a title for LAFC, and we wish Gareth, his wife Emma, and their family nothing but the best in their future endeavors.”
Bale captained Wales during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, scoring the goal that tied Wales with the United States in a Nov. 21 match that ended in a 1-1 draw.