Gareth Frank Bale (born 16 July 1989) is a Welsh footballer who plays for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Wales national team as a winger.
Bale began his professional career at Southampton, playing at left back, earning acclaim as a free kick specialist. Since transferring to Spurs in 2007, managerial and tactical shifts have seen him transform into a more offensively-oriented player. Since the 2009–10 season, Bale has played an integral role in Tottenham's success domestically and in the Champions League.Bale has received recognition by certain commentators and colleagues as being one of the most exciting footballers of his generation, and during the 2012–13 season was awarded the PFA Young Player of the Year, the PFA Players' Player of the Year and the FWA Footballer of the Year awards.