Gareth Bale Claims 3 Real Madrid Stars Were Better Than Cristiano Ronaldo in Training
- Former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale surprisingly left out Cristiano Ronaldo when naming the best trainer he played with.
- The Welsh winger reflected on his time at the Santiago Bernabéu and the world-class teammates he shared the dressing room with
- The former Tottenham superstar also revealed the player he believes was the worst trainer during his career
Gareth Bale surprisingly left out fellow Real Madrid icon Cristiano Ronaldo when naming the best trainer he ever played alongside.
The former Welsh winger highlighted three of his Real Madrid teammates who stood out the most during training sessions, but Ronaldo – widely regarded as one of the hardest-working footballers in history – was not among them.
Source: Getty Images
Bale joined Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013 for a then world-record transfer fee believed to be around €100 million.
The Welshman went on to enjoy a hugely successful spell at the Santiago Bernabéu, winning three La Liga titles and five Champions League trophies.
One of the most memorable moments of his career came during the 2017/18 Champions League final, when he scored a stunning overhead kick in the 3-1 victory against Liverpool.
In total, his career yielded 16 honours in Europe before adding two more with Los Angeles FC, cementing his place among football’s elite.
Throughout his time in Madrid, Bale shared the dressing room with a host of world-class players.
Speaking in an interview with The Overlap, he named the three players who impressed him the most in training, and none of them were Ronaldo.
Bale names three best trainers he played with
Luka Modric
Bale played more matches alongside Luka Modric than any other player in his career, featuring together in 301 games.
The pair first teamed up at Tottenham before continuing their partnership at Real Madrid, where they spent nine highly successful years together.
Modric is widely considered one of the greatest midfielders in football history.
The Croatian cemented his legendary status in 2018 when he won the Ballon d’Or after captaining Croatia to the World Cup final that year.
Toni Kroos
Bale also singled out Toni Kroos, Modric’s long-time midfield partner at Real Madrid.
Known for his exceptional passing and composure on the ball, Kroos played a crucial role in the club’s dominance in both La Liga and the Champions League between 2014 and 2024.
When asked by Gary Neville about the best trainer he had played with, Bale responded:
“Modric or Kroos. They never lost the ball. They weren’t the flashiest in terms of scoring loads of goals.”
Isco
Bale also placed Isco in the same category as Modric and Kroos when it came to impressing during training sessions.
The Spanish midfielder had an inconsistent spell during his nine years at Real Madrid, but when he was at his best he was capable of producing brilliant performances.
Bale said:
“Isco was very good as well actually. Isco was a great trainer. One of those three.”
Bale names the worst trainer he played with
At the other end of the spectrum, Bale revealed that Eden Hazard was the worst trainer he had seen.
Hazard had been one of the most exciting players in the Premier League during his time at Chelsea, but his £100 million move to Real Madrid turned out to be a major disappointment.
Bale explained that injuries played a major role in the Belgian’s struggles after arriving in Spain.
“He hurt his ankle quite badly in his first season and never really recovered,” Bale said.
“The Chelsea boys will say the same. I was similar. I didn’t love training. I would tick over in training but I wanted to be ready for the game. I wanted to be 100 per cent ready for the Saturday to give everything. I didn’t want to be training hard and feeling at 80 per cent on a Saturday.”
Gareth Bale settles the Messi-Ronaldo debate
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported on Gareth Bale's opinion regarding the never-ending Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo debate.
The Welshman highlighted that both Messi and Ronaldo, multiple-time Ballon d’Or winners, have dominated football for more than ten years, placing his former Real Madrid teammate Ronaldo at the top and explaining why.
Source: YEN.com.gh
