Gareth Bale Reflects on Unforgettable 2016

Gareth Bale claims that it would almost be impossible for him to forget the year 2016. It has been very special for him especially in the last few months.

After managing to win the Champions League title for the second time with Real Madrid, Bale went into the Euro 2016 as an important player for the Welsh national team. There were less expectations of Wales coming into the tournament since this was the first major event in a very long time. However, the performance of Chris Coleman’s team has been one of the biggest talking points after the almost won the title.

Wales were ultimately beaten in the final. Even though it was a loss, it showcased that Wales are no longer in the shadows of teams like Scotland and England. Buoyed by the presence of world-class players like Bale, it is believed that the team can go from strength to strength. Bale says that it is an overwhelming honour just to be a finalist. The year could only get better for the Welshman as he has been named amongst the trio of Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann for the year for best player in Europe award.

Bale says that awards mean little to him, but he is happy to be in the short list."It is a big honor to be a finalist. These kind of awards you cannot win by yourself, but by playing for the team, so I have to thank my team-mates, both in club and national team, as they are part of this too. Winning the Champions League with Real was the biggest thing for me last season. It was long and tough season, but we fought hard and won what we wanted to win. For me, it was a great season, not only with the club,” said Bale.