Bale: 'Ronaldo was angry when he didn't score, even though Real won 5-0'

Former striker Gareth Bale has revealed his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo would be upset in the dressing room if he didn't score, even if Real Madrid won.

"Ronaldo is like everyone else. He has his moments of incompetence," Bale told Martin Borgmeier's YouTube channel at the BMW International Open Pro-Am golf tournament. "For example, if Real Madrid win 5-0 and Ronaldo doesn't score, he'll throw his shoes in the locker room. It's like your team wins the Ryder Cup and you don't score any points."

The former Wales striker admitted that many Real players feared Ronaldo's angry reaction. But he said the Portuguese star's reaction was normal and the two maintained a good relationship.

Bale (left) and Ronaldo when they were playing for Real. Photo: AFP — Bale (left) and Ronaldo when they were playing for Real. Photo: *AFP*

Bale played with Ronaldo at Real from 2013 to 2018, forming a famous attacking trio with Karim Benzema that won every title, including four Champions Leagues. Ronaldo personally won four Ballon d'Ors, bringing his total to five, second only to Lionel Messi.

Bale was previously asked if Ronaldo thanked the team for helping him win the Ballon d'Or. Initially, the 33-year-old former striker replied: "I don't know. I think Ronaldo did." But when he spotted the camera, he pointed to it and changed his tone. "Ronaldo always thanks the team," he said, laughing.

In addition to Real, Bale also played for Tottenham from 2007-2013 and the 2020-2021 season on loan, but did not win any titles. Comparing between playing for these two clubs, he replied: "I prefer Tottenham because it is more like a family than Real and they are all English. But I prefer Real in terms of expertise."

After leaving Real, Bale spent five months with Los Angeles FC, scoring three goals in 13 games, winning the MLS Cup and the Supporters' Shield. In January 2023, he announced his retirement after 17 years of professional football.

After Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami, Bale told the Argentine star that American teams tend to accept defeat more easily than big European teams, because there is no relegation. He said: "At Real, if you lose, the whole world collapses. You go home and you are not happy. But in America, they accept it more easily. In America, when you lose a game, you just look forward to the next game."

In January, Ronaldo signed a contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr until 2025 and earned an income of 200 million USD per year. In the second half of the 2022-2023 season, the Portuguese striker scored 14 goals in 19 matches, but Al Nassr did not win any titles. In the summer transfer window of 2023, Ronaldo's former teammate Benzema as well as former Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante joined Al Ittihad.

Hong Duy

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