LA felt like home straight away: Bale
LOS ANGELES: Wales captain Gareth Bale said Friday the chance to bring his expertise and skills to a young Los Angeles FC squad prompted his jump to Major League Soccer. "It just felt really like the right thing to do," Bale said. "It felt like home straight away." The five-time UEFA Champions League winner arrived by plane in southern California and hours later saw his new club defeat the visiting Los Angeles Galaxy 3-2 in his first taste of the "El Trafico" derby. "Seeing the fans live for the first time has more than kept me awake," Bale told match broadcaster ESPN. "What an incredible reception I had when I came in. Just excited to get started and play in front of these incredible fans." The 32-year-old former Real Madrid and Tottenham forward was eligible to play but had barely met his teammates. Supporters settled for watching Bale smile and wave to them, the crowd chanting his name before the match. In June, Bale helped Wales reach the World Cup for the first time in 64 years. Bale said he is ready for the mix of his US adventure and preparing for the Qatar World Cup later this year. "The best prep is to play games," Bale said. "I want to come here. I want to play games and make my stamp and do as best I can to try and help LAFC win a trophy."
Bale signed a one-year deal through 2023 after a pitch from LAFC bosses.
"It was many things. It wasn't just one thing in particular," Bale said. "We had a chat on Zoom about multiple things I could come in and offer – what I can do in football."
The Welsh player said he could "help with the youngsters because it's a very young team here, give them advice, seeing what I do in terms of professional standard and try to help them."
Bale joined a club in only its fifth season on the field but one that hopes to match the sparkle that rival Galaxy once enjoyed with David Beckham.
"Just the project they have here is really amazing," Bale said. "They have a lot of great young players trying to develop. The club is really on the rise.
"It's very new but it's something that's really glamorous. It's just a very attractive club."
LAFC, the overall MLS leader, visit Nashville and Kansas City over the next two weeks before next playing at home on July 29 against Seattle.
LAFC improved to 4-7 with five drawn in the all-time rivalry, the Black and Gold snapping a five-match winless streak against the Galaxy.
LAFC led 1-0 at half-time with a 17th-minute header by Ecuadorian midfielder Jose Cifuentes, but the Galaxy equalized in the 55th minute after a goal by French forward Samuel Grandsir.
Cifuentes headed in a centering pass from Mexican striker Carlos Vela in the 70th minute and Cristian Arango blasted in a right-footed shot in the 72nd to give LAFC a 3-1 edge.
Galaxy midfielder Rayan Raveloson of Madagascar scored from a header in the 81st minute.
相关推荐
-
Klarna CEO reveals plan to reduce workforce by 50% and replace it with AI
-
Climate change, voting rights, and abortion at the Supreme Court: just the beginning.
-
How to Activate God Mode in Windows 10 and Windows 11
-
ChatGPT was down. What we know about the major outage.
-
Eng name ODI, T20I squads for Aus series
-
Daters want to leave body count stigma in 2023, eharmony says
- 最近发表
-
- 13 Unbelievable Underwater Wonders in Florida
- Pressure mounts on Ten Hag as Bayern loom
- Man Utd must show ‘character’: Ten Hag
- Man Utd must show ‘character’: Ten Hag
- Campbell highlights Washington Declaration amid security concerns over Putin
- Amazon Fire 65
- 春节假期 我市接待游客85.24万人次
- Cyrix: Gone But Not Forgotten
- Webb telescope just snapped image of huge black hole gobbling material
- How Many Ballots Do You Have To Count To Know Whether An Election Was Rigged?
- 随机阅读
-
- The Apple iPod: Pocket Music Before That Phone
- 来江门,到和美乡村过大年
- 'All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt' review: Raven Jackson's feature
- 'All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt' review: Raven Jackson's feature
- 高温难耐,工会驿站化身“清凉小屋”
- ChatGPT was down. What we know about the major outage.
- N. Korea likely to stage ICBM, nuclear tests in near future: US experts
- TikTok Wrapped 2023: How to download your TikTok data to try it for yourself
- 共同推动雅安职工思想政治引领数智化发展工作做深做实
- "We Will Adopt Your Baby": The real story of the couple behind that meme.
- BCCI’s absurdities deprive fans of quality cricket
- 人勤春来早 实干正当时
- Best smart home deal: The Amazon Smart Thermostat is just $63.99
- Why are Democrats giving up judges to Mitch McConnell?
- Will GPUs Ever Get Cheaper? GPU Pricing Update
- Activitiy at N. Korea's Punggye
- 'Terminator Zero' creators find fresh life in sci
- ChatGPT was down. What we know about the major outage.
- 11 Signs That Capture Pure Americana
- Wordle today: The answer and hints for October 31
- 搜索
-
- 友情链接
-