Gareth Bale has said something very interesting about being a pundit for Tottenham’s Europa League final in Bilbao.
That famous night in Bilbao will remain in the hearts of Tottenham Hotspur fans for a long time, with Ange Postecoglou and his troops breaking the club’s 17-year trophy drought.
The silverware was even sweeter as it came at the end of what was a terrible Premier League campaign for the Lilywhites, who finished in 17th place.
Gareth Bale, who was a pundit for TNT Sports at the San Mames Stadium to cover the final, has now made an admission about making the trip to Bilbao.
Gareth Bale would have attended Tottenham’s Europa League final as a fan
Bale delivered some iconic lines after Spurs beat Man United 1-0 to lift the trophy.
On the night, the Tottenham legend suggested on TNT Sports’ coverage that it could be a ‘United-y’ thing from now, referring to the ‘Spursy’ taunt used by the media before the game.
Now, the 36-year-old has admitted that he would have attended the final as a fan even if he had not been doing punditry work.
When asked about his punditry during the Europa League final, Bale told GQ: “[Laughs] It probably was the worst football game I’ve ever seen – one of those where no one really remembers the game; they just remember the score and who got the silverware. I would’ve gone there as a fan, but it was nice to see [Spurs] do it.”
Bale admits he has rediscovered his love for football
Fans will get to watch the former Spurs winger regularly on their TV screens from now on, with Bale snapped up by TNT Sports as a contributor and signing for CBS Sports Golazo on a more ad-hoc basis.
The Tottenham legend admitted that the time he had away from football has now reinvigorated his love for the sport.
When asked if it was always the plan to return to the game after a couple of years away, Bale responded: “When you retire so young, it’s very rare that you know exactly what you want to do. I knew I’d probably take a couple of years to get away from football and free my mind a bit.
“I always said to myself I wanted to try a few things and if I like them, I like ’em. If I don’t, at least I can say I’ve tried it, and I haven’t left any stone unturned. Being away from the environment for a while was what I needed – it’s given me a chance to get my love [for the game] back. I feel like I can see things in a different light again now.”