Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale bid an emotional farewell to Los Blancos on Wednesday, ending a nine-year-long saga that saw the Welshman win three La Liga titles and five UEFA Champions League titles.

“I write this message to say thank you to all my team mates, past and present, my managers, the back room staff and to the fans that supported me,” began Bale in his farewell letter to the Spanish giants.

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“I arrived here 9 years ago as a young man who wanted to realise my dream of playing for Real Madrid. To wear the pristine white kit, to wear the crest on my chest, to play at the Santiago Bernabéu, to win titles and to be part of what it’s so famous for, to win the Champions League,” wrote the Welshman.

Bale went on to say “with honesty that this dream became a reality and much, much more.”

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“To be a part of this club’s history and to achieve what we achieved while I was a Real Madrid player, has been an incredible experience and one I will never forget,” said the Welshman, adding, “Together we were able to create some moments that will live forever in the history of this club and football.”

Bale’s message to Madrid marks the end of an incredible, yet bittersweet career that saw the Welshman rise to the very top of the pecking order, before being discarded and benched for prolonged periods of time.

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While the Welshman’s exit had been on the cards for a while now, it remains unclear where he is headed next, although rumours suggest that Antonio Conte and Tottenham Hotspur are looking for the 32-year-old’s signature.

For the time being, however, Bale is focusing on the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but it would come as no surprise if a club were to swoop in on the forward, who has become a free agent, this summer.