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21 May, 2025
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Gareth Bale net worth, body transformation, cosmetic surgery and childhood sweetheart wife
@Source: manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Welsh football icon Gareth Bale is set to resume his role as a pundit for TNT Sports on Wednesday night , more than two years after retiring from professional football. The 35 year old will join the likes of Rio Ferdinand , Glenn Hoddle, Robbie Savage and Paul Scholes on the panel for the Europa League final between Manchester United and his former team Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao. Bale previously contributed to TNT Sport's Champions League coverage earlier this season and will be back behind the microphone this Wednesday evening. Bale retired at the age of 33 in 2023, leaving behind an illustrious career that saw him become one of the most decorated players of his generation and, in the eyes of many, the greatest British player ever, boasting 18 major trophies. Internationally, he earned 111 caps for Wales, netting a record 41 goals and guiding them to three significant tournaments - including their first World Cup appearance in 64 years in 2022. On the club front, Bale began his career at Southampton before rising to prominence at Spurs and securing a then-record £85 million transfer to Real Madrid in 2013. His stint in Spain yielded five Champions League titles and three La Liga crowns, before he concluded his playing days with an MLS Cup victory with Los Angeles FC, reports Wales Online . Even in retirement, Bale continues to dazzle with his superstar status, regularly sharing snapshots of dream holidays, glam showbiz events, and teeing off at the world's premium golf courses on social media. Here's a glimpse into the Welshman's luxe post-career lifestyle, complete with a dramatic physical transformation over time and life with his long-term love and wife. Two years after hanging up his boots, Bale's financial stature remains immense. At Real Madrid, the striker's salary was a staggering £600,000 per week, but he's not resting on those laurels – savvy business ventures ensure a steady income stream in his retired days. Bale launched 'Elevens', his own bar, in Cardiff back in 2017, followed by a mini-golf themed watering hole named Par 59, also in Cardiff, expanding the brand with an outpost in Bristol half a decade later. Despite being teetotal, the ex-athlete has made "significant investment" in Penderyn Distillery, taking a slice of ownership, alongside backing Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's TGL golf league. Additionally, Bale's coffers have swollen thanks to lucrative endorsement contracts inked with titans such as Adidas, Playstation, and BMW over the span of his career. Estimating Bale's net worth is tricky, with reports pegging it around the £115 million mark. Nevertheless, the most recent Sunday Times Rich List did not include Bale in its '40 Under 40' lineup, indicating that his actual wealth might be less than £100 million. Gareth Bale wed his childhood love and former hairdresser, Emma Rhys-Jones, in 2019. The couple had already embraced three children—Alba, Nava, and Axel—by the time they exchanged vows, and they welcomed a fourth child, Xander, in 2021. The family is regularly seen jet-setting to opulent locations worldwide, with Bale sharing snaps of their holidays to Abu Dhabi, Lapland, and the United States of late. Their romance began at Whitchurch High School in Cardiff, and they became engaged in July 2016 while celebrating Bale's birthday weekend, later marrying in the summer of 2019 on the secluded Spanish isle of Tagomago. Only around 60 guests were privy to the highly confidential ceremony, and it's said they were only informed of the exact venue a day prior and had to surrender their mobiles to former SAS security personnel. The union occurred following the reported postponement of their nuptials due to "family turmoil" involving Emma's relatives, which included her father being imprisoned and the death of her brother-in-law. Emma's sister, Katie, is married to Welsh rugby hero Taulupe Faletau, hence Bale's relation by marriage. Body transformation-wise, Bale has undergone an astonishing metamorphosis from the young Southampton debutant nearly 20 years ago to how he appears now at 35. While he was initially "skinny and shy" at the start of his career on the South coast, he quickly grew in both stature and confidence, reaching his physical prime after moving to Madrid. Photos of his muscular thighs and bulging biceps soon became a sensation on social media. Even in retirement, he has maintained his impressive physique, as evidenced by photos of him flaunting his toned torso and six-pack on an Abu Dhabi beach last year. However, it's not just Bale's physique that has evolved over the years; reportedly, he also underwent a procedure to pin back his ears. After enduring childhood teasing for his protruding ears, the Mirror reported in 2013 that the Welshman had "discreetly" visited a top plastic surgeon's clinic during the summer to have his ears pinned back. His hairstyle has also seen changes, with his once-famous top-knot now replaced by a more trimmed look compared to his playing days. After a career spanning the Championship, Premier League , La Liga and Major League Soccer, Bale has owned properties worldwide. Last year, reports emerged that his former Madrid mansion had been sold to global superstar Kylian Mbappe for a hefty £11 million. Gareth Bale's stunning £4 million abode in the Vale of Glamorgan can't be overshadowed, boasting not just six bedrooms, a dressing room and study but also featuring a bespoke three-hole golf course in its grounds. The custom-built course in his garden replicates some iconic holes; these include the 17th at Sawgrass, Royal Troon's 8th known as the 'postage stamp', and the famed 12th at Augusta National. Bale, whose affinity for golf is no secret, often graced the greens even during the peak of his footballing days, working his way to an impressive handicap of two. Since hanging up his boots, he's been able to spend even more time on his passion, playing rounds with none other than Masters champion Rory McIlroy, who has praised Bale's natural ability. "He has the potential to get to scratch [a handicap of zero], the way he hits the ball he could be a scratch player, but he's only played for the last few years," McIlroy remarked following their game at a tournament last year. McIlroy noted the difference between simply striking the ball well and navigating the course adeptly: "There is a difference between being able to hit the golf ball well and getting yourself around the golf course and managing your game – that's the part he's learning now." In addition to perfecting his game, Bale took on the role of ambassador for the Underrated Golf European Tour, established by NBA star Steph Curry, and has partnered with Adidas to produce golf-related content.
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