Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Gareth Bale Revisits Real Madrid Years, Says Zidane Kept Tactics Minimal

He uses a new podcast interview to argue the team's success leaned on elite talent over detailed schemes.

Overview

  • Speaking on Stick to Football/The Overlap, Bale says Zinedine Zidane did little tactical work, reserving brief defensive drills for opponents like Barcelona or Bayern Munich.
  • He praises Carlo Ancelotti's people management, describing a coach who kept the group cohesive and made even non-starters feel important.
  • Bale characterizes Cristiano Ronaldo as relentlessly driven to score and a steady source of belief for the team.
  • He identifies Sergio Ramos as the primary leader in the dressing room during that era.
  • Addressing the 'Wales. Golf. Madrid.' narrative, Bale says the press exaggerated his hobby and that he avoided golf within 40 hours of matches.