Gareth Bale lifts lid on retirement after surprise return at Liverpool v Real Madrid | OneFootball

Gareth Bale joked that he is enjoying having time to actually play golf after retiring from football but the former Real Madrid star admitted he is as much as a taxi driver for his kids.

Bale, who retired at the age of 33 shortly after the 2022 World Cup, won five Champions League trophies with Real Madrid and scored a spectacular winning goal in the 2018 final against Liverpool.

And the talismanic Welshman made a surprise appearance as a pundit on TNT Sports as Liverpool faced Real Madrid at Anfield, where he lifted the lid on life since ending his playing career.

The latter years of Bale’s career, especially at Real Madrid was curtailed by injuries, and the Spanish press took issue with the former supposedly spending more time on the golf course than the training ground.

“It’s nice to be back in a football stadium,” Bale said on TNT Sports. “I’m loving it. I’m actually getting to play golf now, rather than people writing about it.

“It’s been nice to spend time with my kids. When you’re playing you’re constantly travelling, playing, preparing, tired, sleeping in different rooms.

“Being there for them really and having family time.”

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Bale’s overhead kick against Liverpool in 2018 (Getty Images)

Fellow pundit and former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand then asked Bale if he was also becoming an “Uber driver” for his kids.

“I’m on the app,” Bale, who scored 106 goals for Real Madrid, quipped.

One of Bale’s iconic goals for Real Madrid was his overhead kick against Liverpool in the 2018 Champions League final.

“I still remember it now and it was genuinely going in slow motion watching it go in,” Bale said.

“It’s cool to look back on those memories. In my head I should have been starting. The fact I didn’t, I was more than upset. I came on with a point to prove.”