Wales legend Gareth Bale shocked the world on Monday by announcing his retirement from both club and international football, with the forward calling time on his career at the age of 33.
The former Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid and Los Angeles FC forward enjoyed a glittering career that saw him win five Champions Leagues, a Spanish league title and numerous individual accolades. He also scored 41 goals in 111 appearances for Wales, leading his country to their first World Cup in 64 years in November.
In a heartfelt statement, Bale confirmed he was retiring with immediate effect, saying he felt "incredibly fortunate to have realised my dream of playing the sport I love," adding that football had "truly given me some of the best moments of my life".
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While many fans may not want to accept it, the former Wales captain said he is moving on "with anticipation to the next stage of my life". He added that his retirement marked "a time of change and transition" and "an opportunity for a new adventure".
But what exactly lies ahead for the superstar, having achieved so much on the football pitch? He certainly has more irons in the fire than most, having already overseen a sizeable business portfolio and excelled at another sport during his playing career.
With the world still at his feet and millions of pounds to his name, the opportunities for Bale in retirement are endless. From buying a football club to becoming a professional golfer, here are just some of the routes he could go down after hanging up his boots.
Become a Wales coach?
Let's face it, we'd all love to see it happen. And becoming part of the Wales coaching set up looks likely to be the next step for Bale, with Rob Page confirming that he has had a conversation with the star about remaining part of the wider team.
"I would love him still to be involved in some capacity, what that role is don't know yet," said Page. "It's a big adjustment for him, going into a normalish life, but we'll have another conversation with him in a few weeks.
"We'll make a plan moving forward because he's got so much to offer in a changing room and hotel environment."
Prior to the World Cup, Bale was "really keen" on doing his coaching badges with the FAW, having been offered a place on the Welsh governing body's coaching course alongside Aaron Ramsey.
There would certainly be nothing to lose from Wales' perspective by hiring perhaps their best ever player and one who simply loves representing his country. However, having only just hung up his boots, Bale could still decide that he wants a bit of a break before returning to the fold.
Become a manager?
It may be a way off yet, but many fans would back Bale as a manager one day, given the huge impact he had on his team-mates in the Wales squads he was part of during his career.
A big figure in the dressing room, the 33-year-old has led Wales to some of their greatest-ever achievements, inspiring those around him and on multiple occasions grabbing games by the scruff of the neck and winning them single-handedly.
It is hard to think of a better role model for players wanting to emulate the great man's achievements, with Bale's experience, professionalism and character likely to make him a successful manager in the future, if he decides it's the route he wants to go down.
Page is in the Wales job until after the 2026 World Cup as things stand but, after that, who knows?
Move into punditry?
He had plenty of run-ins with the media during his career, so it would be a bit of a surprise if Bale chose to get behind the mic himself after calling time on his playing days.
Many of Bale's former team-mates, including Robbie Savage, Jermaine Jenas and John Hartson have all made moves into punditry and commentary after retiring and a player with his experience would be a welcome addition to any broadcaster.
But while he has always been good value in interviews, the star is "shy", according to former Spurs and Real Madrid team-mate Luka Modric, which may mean he favours a move out of the limelight instead.
Work as an ambassador?
Could you think of anyone better to represent Wales on the global stage than the player who has already done so much to promote the country around the world during his career?
Bale is an incredibly proud Welshman and would make a fantastic ambassador for the FAW if he was offered a similar role to that of fellow great Ian Rush.
However, he might also take up a role outside of Wales, with former club Tottenham Hotspur sure to be keen to have him back in north London, while, despite his short stay in the US, he may also face offers from MLS clubs to promote the league around the world.
Become a professional golfer?
Improving our golf game is something that many us will have planned for our retirement, but Bale won't need much practice with the star now reportedly playing off a handicap of two, having previously been a "respectable six" back in 2015.
He has become infamous for his love of the sport in recent years and even came under fire for it during his time at Real Madrid, with the Spanish press criticising him for the amount of time he spent on the golf course and not on the football pitch. Bale and his Welsh team-mates even poked fun at the criticism by unveiling a flag that read “Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order," after qualifying for Euro 2020..
The Welsh star hones his skills on the three-hole golf course he had built at his home in Cardiff - with the holes modelled on the 17th at Sawgrass, the eighth at Royal Troon and the 12th at Augusta - and has even played in a tournament at Celtic Manor Resort, a former Ryder Cup venue.
While he has insisted previously that golf is just a hobby, he certainly has the skill and enthusiasm to make moves into the pro game, and could have a long new career ahead of him if he chooses to swap the football pitch for the golf course.
Indeed his agent opened the door for a pro golf career.
Buy a football team?
After a career which saw him earn more than £600,000 a week at one stage, Bale is certainly not short of cash. In fact, his net worth is believed to be around £119 million as of 2023.
What he does with that money is anyone's guess, but he could follow the likes of fellow former Real Madrid stars David Beckham and Ronaldo and buy a football club.
Beckham is the president and co-owner of MLS side Inter Miami, and Bale, having left LAFC following his retirement, could well decide to invest in another club in the league as it continues to expand its global audience.
However, he could also look closer to home, with former Wales assistant boss Osian Roberts telling The Athletic that Bale had been egged on by his team-mates to buy Merthyr Town FC and sign them all. “They joked during the Euros that they wanted Gareth to buy a Welsh club lower down," he said. "It was Merthyr (who play in the seventh tier of the English league system), actually.
"Everyone would sign for him and take them all the way through the pyramid to the Premier League, so they could all play together every week. That’s how close they were — they didn’t want to just do it during the international breaks, they wanted to be together every day of the week.”
Start more business ventures?
Bale may choose to venture outside of sport altogether after calling time on his career. He has a number of business interests outside of football and has been preparing for retirement for quite some time, having opened three bars in the last five years and making a number of investments elsewhere.
He opened his bar 'Elevens' on Castle Street, Cardiff, back in 2017 and built on the success there by combining his next bar venture with his other love, golf. Bale's mini-golf themed bar 'Par 59' opened on St Mary Street last year, with a second branch opening in Bristol in December.
Last year, the tee-total star also made a "significant investment" in Penderyn Distillery, becoming one of 61 shareholders in the whisky business, while he joined other high-profile sports stars in investing in Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s new golf venture TGL, a stadium-based, high-tech golf league in conjunction with the PGA Tour, which is due to start in January 2024 and rival LIV Golf.
Could a career in business be on the cards for the former Wales captain?
Return to professional football?
Despite hanging up his boots and moving on to a "new adventure", Bale could still follow the likes of Paul Scholes, Johan Cruyff and Arjen Robben by making a shock return to professional football at a later date.
Top-flight action is out of the question with agent Jonathan Barnett admitting that the star's body "is not what it was", but that is not to say he couldn't turn out for a lower league side in the future,.
Having previously stated his intention to take Wales to the Euros in 18 months time, could he be tempted into coming back?
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