He has scored 105 goals, won 13 ­trophies, ­including the Champions League four times, and his overhead kick against Liverpool two years ago was the greatest goal in a major final I’ve seen.
Compare that with the great Zinedine ­Zidane, now his coach at Real: 49 goals, six trophies and that world-class volley against Bayer Leverkusen in a Champions League final.
Compare Bale’s ­record with Luis Figo: 57 goals, seven trophies.
And compare it with Brazilian legend Ronaldo: 104 goals and three trophies.
Bale has scored more goals and won more trophies than those three. So he is up there with the greats.
Where will he fit in at Tottenham?
Jose Mourinho is tactically more astute than I can ever hope to be, but I would play him just off Harry Kane in a ­central role.
That is where he has the best chance of manipulating the ball on to that deadly left foot and ­influencing the game.
With Kane and Bale, ­Tottenham will lift the whole club, lift the supporters and it should give them a better chance of lifting trophies this season.
I’m not sure it will be enough to outweigh ­Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea’s squad depths, but it will make Spurs an even more fascinating watch this season.
After some of the ­hostility aimed at Bale by ungrateful sections of Real Madrid’s support, I can understand him coming home to a club where he will feel loved.
But for footballing ­reasons, I fear his return to Tottenham may have come a couple of years too late to win trophies.
Will Gareth Bale be a success back at Spurs? Have your say below.
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