Rooney, Best or Bale? Is the Welsh footballer the best British player of all time?

Gareth Bale has just ended his storied career and the question among fans is: Is the Welsh native the best British footballer of all time?

When Gareth Bale’s name is mentioned, many people think of the bitter end of his career, when he was more into golf, sitting on the bench, mocking the club and ending up in the MLS.

But this is a very different Bale than the Bale we knew a decade ago, actually even five years ago. In his prime, he was a demon who was almost unstoppable.

He has made an indelible mark on the history of Real Madrid. First, in 2014, with 4 minutes left in the Copa del Rey final, he scored against Barcelona with a fabulous solo run up and down the pitch to make it 2-1 and win Real the trophy.

A few weeks later he scored the winning goal in the Champions League final against Atlético Madrid in extra time. In 2018, he scored the winning goal again in the Champions League final, with a wonderful scissors kick against Liverpool. He then added a second goal.

In total, he has now scored 4 goals in the final of a competition. The list of his trophies is truly spectacular.

5 times Champions League winner
3x La Liga winner
1x Copa del Rey winner
1x Spanish Super Cup winner
3x UEFA Super Cup winner
3x Club World Cup winner
1x MLS Cup winner

So a lot of fans are clear, this is the best British footballer of all time. In terms of the number of trophies and the importance in them, there are probably few equals.

But what is his competition? George Best has been a fantastic footballer and leader of Manchester United, it’s just that his trophy collection is nowhere near that of Bale at home.

Wayne Rooney’s collection (5x Premier League, 1x Champions League) plus historically the top scorer for Manchester United and the England national team is something else.

But the Champions League, the most valuable and important trophy in club football, still prevails. Bale has won it five times, which is an incredible number, and he scored three times in the final, two of which were winning goals.

Source: Transfermarkt