Gareth Bale: Former team-mate Bassong on moment Bale caught Eto'o's eye

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Cameroon's Sebastien Bassong and Gareth Bale played together at Tottenham Hotspur

Former Cameroon and Tottenham defender Sebastien Bassong has described Gareth Bale as "a hell of a player" following Bale's retirement from football at the age of 33.

Bassong, who played alongside Bale at Tottenham, told 大象传媒 World Service that the Welsh captain's hat-trick against "summed him up".

Tottenham lost the match 4-3 but Bale's performance at the San Siro stood out, catching the eye of Cameroon legend Samuel Eto'o who was playing for Inter.

"I remember Samuel Eto'o asking me on the pitch, 'Who's that?'" recalled Bassong.

"I said, 'You'll soon find out!' And it was just crazy to see how easy it was for him [Bale] to just do whatever he wanted to do."

"Gareth was the kind of player who could get us out of trouble.

"He just took the game on, on his own."

Bale, a five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, is Wales' most-capped player and record men's goalscorer.

He moved from Real Madrid to Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC in June 2022.

Despite Bale's huge success, Bassong says the player always did his talking on the pitch.

"It's the definition of what a career can be. When he started, he wasn't as confident. Something clicked in his head and he became a hell of a player.

"It was a pleasure to play alongside him. People respect the whole fairy-tale story, but Gareth was and is still a very introverted person.

"He's always been shy, even when he broke through, he was still a shy guy.

"That's what makes the magic about Gareth. Because on the pitch, he was doing such things."

Bale led Wales at their first World Cup since 1958 at Qatar 2022, ending his international career with 41 goals in 111 appearances.

Bassong says he respects Bale for announcing his retirement at just 33 years of age, something that showed "a lot of courage."

"He's been really brave," added the former centre-back.

"Most people would have told him to carry on until the end. But he's in control of his own career. He's in control of his own mind.

"And I reckon that Gareth was just worn out.

"Everything comes to an end and I think he's done everything you have to do within football.

"I'd rather him to finish on a World Cup and on a high. So I'm really proud of what he did."