One thumping header was all Gareth Bale needed to write his name into LAFC lore – and go out an MLS champion.
The Welsh superstar, who announced his retirement Monday after a stellar 18-year career, reached the upper echelons of world soccer thanks in large part to his 186 career club goals over 554 games – mostly with Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid.
He had a knack for stepping up in the biggest moments, including a stunning 128th-minute strike that snatched victory from the Philadelphia Union in extra time of MLS Cup 2022, sending arguably the league’s greatest-ever game into a PK shootout the Black & Gold ultimately won to secure their first-ever league title.
While his last performances would be with Wales at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he scored against the United States in their 1-1 Group B-opening draw, Bale got the Hollywood ending to his club career that most athletes can only dream of.
Relive his brilliant MLS swansong below:
