Gareth Bale has spoken about his life after football since retiring from the game in 2023, and it’s fair to say that his old life has been left behind
Welsh football icon Gareth Bale has shared insights into his new life in retirement after bidding farewell to his football career at the age of 33.
The Cardiff-born superstar ended an extraordinary career following the 2022 World Cup, retiring as Wales’ most-capped player with 111 appearances and their all-time top scorer, having netted 41 times in the iconic red shirt. He also guided Wales to three major tournaments, with the campaign in Qatar marking their first World Cup in 64 years.
On the club front, Bale kicked off his career at Southampton before rising to fame at Tottenham Hotspur and securing a then-world record £85million transfer to Real Madrid. It was there that he clinched five Champions Leagues and three La Liga titles, cementing his status as one of the most decorated players of the modern era, as he wrapped up his playing days in MLS with Los Angeles FC.
Less than three years after hanging up his boots, Bale concedes that his day-to-day life now looks quite different indeed. Speaking to WalesOnline at the Gareth Bale Festival of Sport at the Celtic Manor, the former winger spilled the beans on how he’s spending his time in retirement – here’s what he had to say.
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Family life
Since retiring, Bale has been making the most of his newfound free time, dedicating as much of it as possible to his family.
Bale, who tied the knot with his childhood love Emma Rhys-Jones in 2019, is a proud father to four children – Alba, Nava, Axel and Xander, the youngest born in 2021.
The pressures of professional football often meant that Bale missed out on precious moments with his growing brood. Now, he’s making up for lost time by creating unforgettable memories with them, including holidays to Abu Dhabi, Lapland and the United States.
In a confession that will resonate with many parents, the Welsh football icon admits his kids keep him “very busy”, with “a lot of taxi driving” now featuring prominently in his daily routine.
“I’m just doing a bit of everything, having a normal life really,” he shared with WalesOnline. “I’m with the family quite a lot, spending time with my wife, playing some golf. I’m doing the normal things and not having too much to do, but enough to keep me busy.
“I knew football wasn’t going to last forever. I’m just spending time with my family, enjoying that time. I’m keeping involved in football by doing some stuff on the TV, but my kids keep me very busy. It’s great to now have that time to spend with them and not be away every weekend and missing a lot of them growing up, so yeah, just being able to go out and be a dad finally.
“I’m still relatively new into retirement so I’m still enjoying that phase of relaxing a bit and enjoying being around my family a bit more rather than being away every week. I’m enjoying watching my kids grow up as I feel I missed a lot when I was playing, so it’s great to be able to spend time with them.
“I’m spending time a bit of everywhere, to be honest,” he added. “The kids are in school, so can’t go to too many places. But yeah, a bit of here, there and everywhere really, seeing friends, family and enjoying that time relaxing.”
With his children aged between four and 12, Bale reveals they’re beginning to dabble in various sports, football included.
Yet despite his status as arguably Wales’ – if not Britain’s – finest ever footballer, he’s determined not to pile pressure on them should they choose to follow his path.
“They’re all trying and doing as much as they would like to do,” he said. “I’ve got too many kids so there’s a lot of taxi driving! But it’s about encouraging them and I just want them to enjoy it for what it is. I don’t care if they become anything, I want them to enjoy the sport as a kid, playing with their friends and getting real fun from it. My son is getting into [football] more.
“They’re so young. I just want them to enjoy playing football. I don’t want them to have any pressure on them because of their surname. I just want my kids to have fun and enjoy football for what it is, like I did when I was younger. Obviously I was lucky enough to then make a career out of it, but I just want them to have fun playing with their friends.”
Stunning condition
Despite nearly three years having passed since Bale stepped away from the beautiful game, he remains in extraordinary shape, with his striking physique barely affected by retirement.
The Welsh legend has flaunted his sculpted abs and muscular frame through social media snaps from his getaways to Abu Dhabi, while his athletic prowess was evident once more when he made his football comeback this month for a charitable fixture in South Korea.
Bale took on the unusual role of centre-half for FC Spear during the Nexon Icons Match in Seoul, an event that saw legendary goal-scorers face off against defensive icons.
Though it marked his first appearance since hanging up his boots, the former Real Madrid star still appeared razor-sharp and athletic as he turned back the clock with trademark bursting runs and thunderous efforts on goal.
The player himself wasn’t entirely satisfied with his display, though. “It was the first time I’d kicked a ball since I’d retired,” he said.
“It was a bit of a struggle, I’m not going to lie. It was nice to get my boots back on and we had a laugh, we had a good time with all the players over there. But I’m still recovering from the jet lag!
“My performance wasn’t that good, but it was nice to go there, I hadn’t been over to South Korea before. It was great to see the fans that supported me over there and connect with them a bit, so it was a great experience.”
Discussing how he’s maintained his impressive physique since hanging up his boots, Bale revealed: “Walking the golf course always helps when it comes to getting your 10,000 steps in. I do a little bit of gym here and there and I’ve been staying away from fatty foods – but I’m quite lucky in terms of my genes!”
New television role
Last month, it was announced that Bale had secured a fresh position as a pundit for TNT Sports for the 2025/26 campaign, with the Welsh star lending his expertise to the broadcaster’s Premier League and Champions League programming.
This followed his impressive display analysing Spurs’ Europa League final triumph over United in May, which caught the attention of TNT executives, leading to his appointment after Rio Ferdinand’s exit. The Manchester United icon departed the channel following 12 years after choosing not to renew his contract at the conclusion of last season.
Bale has since downplayed the new position, insisting he’s only planning to cover “a couple of games”, but confesses he’s relishing being back involved in football after stepping away for several years.
“It’s obviously completely different, but it’s nice to keep involved with football,” he said. “I always said that after football I wanted to take a little bit of time away and I think I’m starting to enjoy it a bit more again.
“Being a bit more involved in football is great, I’m starting to enjoy it more, watching it. It’s been good to dip my toes into that and see how that side of things works. It’s been interesting, so let’s see what happens in the future.
“I’m just doing a couple of games like I did last year, I think everyone got a bit carried away with what I was doing! I think the news was a little bit misconstrued but it will be fun to watch a couple of games and do some punditry. I’m looking forward to it,” he added.
“It’s been interesting. I lived it as a player, so it’s been nice to provide a different side rather than just the performance, and give my thoughts on my experiences through that moment. It’s been fun and interesting to see the other side of it.”
Eye-watering fortune
While he’s no longer pocketing massive wages as a player, Bale’s wealth today is thought to remain around an eye-watering £120 million. The former Real Madrid legend pocketed a staggering £600,000 per week while in Spain, but has also boosted his enormous personal wealth through a string of shrewd business decisions over the years.
He launched his bar ‘Elevens’ in Cardiff back in 2017, before capitalising on that triumph by merging his subsequent bar project with his passion for golf and unveiling ‘Par 59’ on the city’s vibrant St Mary Street five years later. He subsequently opened a second establishment in Bristol.
Despite being teetotal, Bale has also made a “significant investment” in Penderyn Distillery, securing him minority shareholder status within the firm. He has additionally invested in Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s TGL golf league, whilst maintaining lucrative endorsement contracts with major brands including Adidas, PlayStation and BMW throughout the years.
Gareth Bale was speaking at the Gareth Bale Festival of Sport, organised in partnership with StreetGames, Wales Golf and CAA Sports – with support from the R&A – and held at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport.