Gareth Bale says Ryan Reynolds can’t bring him out of retirement to play for Wrexham – and he just wants a free round of golf with Rob McElhenney – because he doesn’t even miss football
- Gareth Bale retired from professional football in January after the World Cup
- Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been trying to get him to Wrexham
- Bale has now insisted he will not join the future League Two side
Gareth Bale has insisted he will not be tempted out of retirement, despite a continued charm offensive from Wrexham owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.
Bale retired from professional football after last year’s World Cup in a decision he described as ‘the most difficult of his career’ as he hung up his boots after more than 200 career goals, including a record 41 for Wales.
However, there have been a number of attempts to persuade the 33-year-old to return for one more season.
Following a congratulatory message from Bale after Wrexham won promotion from the National League last weekend, McElhenney took to Twitter to suggest that Bale join the forthcoming League Two outfit.
Bale replied, sending hundreds of Wrexham fans into a frenzy, before Reynolds quickly joined the conversation to try and persuade the Welshman to join the club.
Gareth Bale has insisted he will not be lured out of retirement to play for Wrexham
He retired in January after a trophy-filled career that saw him win five Champions Leagues
The Canadian actor tweeted a picture of the former Tottenham and Real Madrid winger in a Wrexham shirt with the caption ‘what if…’, but Bale has now ended speculation about a move.
After receiving an Outstanding Contribution to Sport Award at the 2023 FEVO Sport Industry Awards, Bale was asked if he missed football.
‘No,’ he replied with a laugh, ‘I enjoy my free time. I started at a young age and felt the time was right.’
When asked about the Wrexham speculation and whether he would join the club, he added: ‘No I don’t think so, I was more looking for a free round of golf from Rob!
McElhenney’s original plan to lure Bale in was to play 18 holes with him, tweeting that he would spend “not at all” all afternoon trying to persuade the Welsh superstar not to “retire for one magical season”. to go’.
Bale continued: “I’m sure we’ll have a chat and a joke, but I’m pretty happy where I am. Spending a lot of time with my children, my wife, time that I have lost so much over the years by committing myself to football. I just enjoy family life and play some golf.”
While it seems unlikely that the legendary winger will be tempted out of retirement, he can still be seen in the crowd at international matches.
He bid an emotional farewell to Wales fans ahead of their Euro 2024 qualifier with Latvia in March, having also paraded in the MLS Cup championship ring in front of supporters with his former LAFC teammates earlier this month.
Wrexham secured promotion to League Two after beating Boreham Wood 3–1 at home
Owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mcelhenney have launched a charm offensive to try and bring in the legendary winger
Reynolds even posted an image of Bale in a Wrexham shirt on his Instagram story
Bale has now insisted that he will not come out of retirement because he does not miss football
Bale wouldn’t be the only player to lure Wrexham out of retirement after ex-Premier League goalkeeper Ben Foster signed a short-term contract last month.
He played a key role in helping the club cross the line in their promotion push, saving a vital penalty at the last minute in their 3–2 win over closest rivals Notts County.
It remains unclear for now whether he will continue to play for the team in League Two next year.
One of Bale’s former international teammates, Hal Robson-Kanu, has also offered to sign with the side for next season, claiming he would be willing to donate all of his wages to charity.