Real Madrid Pay Tribute to Gareth Bale Following Retirement With SpongeBob Inspired TikTok Video

• Gareth Bale has retired from international and club football after 17 years as a professional
• The Welsh attacker became a global superstar in his time with Spanish giants Real Madrid
• Using SpongeBob to get their point across, the club paid tribute to Bale after his retirement

Gareth Bale will always be considered a Real Madrid great.

The Welsh attacker joined Los Blancos in the 2013/14 season and went on to win numerous titles with the club.

Following his sudden retirement announcement, Real Madrid paid tribute to the star on TikTok with a SpongeBob-inspired video.

Bale decided to retire from international and club football, after 17 years as a professional.

He started out at Southampton before moving to Tottenham Hotspur. He then made a big-money move to Los Blancos, where he cemented his place as one of the world's most-watched players.

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Bale's career at Madrid

As noted by Transfermrkt, the Welshman played 258 games for the Spanish side, scoring over 100 goals for the team and creating 67 chances. He also won five UEFA Champions League trophies and three La Liga titles while in Spain.

How did Madrid pay tribute?

Apart from the TikTok video, Los Blancos also released a statement praising Bale and talking about his value to the Spanish side.

"His figure will forever be linked to the history and legend of our club. Good luck Gareth, and best wishes to you and your family," part of the statement read.

Bale retires from professional football

After 17 years as a professional footballer, Bale has made the decision to retire from the sport, Sports Brief reported.

The former Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur star spent the last season with Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer, and most recently represented Wales at the FIFA World Cup.

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Considered one of Britain’s greatest football exports, Bale won five Champions League titles as well as three La Liga titles.

Welsh boss wants Bale involved

Wales manager Rob Page wants Bale to stay involved in the international set-up, after the star forward announced he was hanging up his boots.

The five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid ended a glittering career on Monday, winning 111 caps and scoring 41 goals for his country - both national records for the men's team.

33-year-old Bale's decision to call it quites came after Wales' disappointing performance at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.