David Beckham admits he understands the pressure on Gareth Bale at Real Madrid, after the former England captain’s own first season at the Bernabeu ended in disappointment.
Beckham and Bale have both lined up for the Spanish giants, and both have had to deal with speculation of a move back to the Premier League after a testing period.
Speaking to the Daily Star on Sunday, the ex-Manchester United winger said: ‘In my first season we didn’t win La Liga and people were talking about me going to Chelsea. But I was happy in Madrid and knew as long as I worked hard the Real fans would notice that and that I would gradually win them round.’
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Former Manchester United and Real Madrid star David Beckham understands the pressure on Gareth Bale
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Wales forward Bale was booed last season by some Madrid fans and was linked with a move back to England
Bale impressed in his first season in Madrid, netting in the Champions League final against bitter rivals Atletico, but came under increasing pressure the following year.
Beckham believes that it is his reaction to the pressure that makes Bale so impressive.
‘I got to know Gareth when I trained at Tottenham a few years ago – and he’s a fantastic guy with so much talent,’ Beckham continued. ‘I wasn’t surprised when Real Madrid signed him for the amount they did. But, obviously, with that comes a lot of pressure.
‘And when you are at Real Madrid, whether you sign for £1million or £100m, there is always pressure on you to perform.
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Backham says he was under pressure at Madrid, and was linked with a move to Chelsea after his first season
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Beckham says it was ‘unbelievable’ for Bale to score in the Champions League final in his first season abroad
‘In his first season Gareth won the Champions League and scored in the final – that was unbelievable for him. But for me it is now that Gareth is showing why he is such a great character.’
Last season, there were moments for Bale that would surely have made him question his decision to up and move to Spain. Fans kicked his car and booed him when he left the training ground, but the Wales international responded with 17 goals in all competitions for the club.
The 26-year-old is currently enjoying a much more positive scenario with his international side, having played a vital role in Wales’ qualification to Euro 2016.
They secured their place in France on Saturday night, despite losing 2-0 to Bosnia and Herzegovina; a game which Bale described as the ‘best loss’ of his career.
