Real Madrid right winger Gareth Bale will no longer be a part of the team after the 2021/22 season, as his contract will run out. As a whole, that is a net positive for Madrid, because Bale earns significant wages that must be relieved in order for Real to move forward with the kind of star-powered transfers they want up front.
But sentimentally, seeing Bale go will be tough for many Madridistas. What Bale has accomplished in his time with the club is nothing short of remarkable, as he helped Madrid reach another level as the third Galactico with Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
What may hurt Madridistas the most, though, is that Bale, as he showed for Wales recently, can still offer something to Real Madrid. He could still be an option on the right wing.
Here are three players Bale is still better than, even as he ends the near of his club career.
Marco Asensio.
Let's compare him to a player at the same position and with the same stronger foot, Marco Asensio. Though Asensio can be applauded for scoring 10 goals with 1 assist this season for an average of 0.60 combined goals and assists per 90, those numbers are actually nowhere near what Gareth Bale produced on loan at Tottenham last season when he last had a significant first-team role.
Bale had 16 goals and 4 assists in all competitions, averaging 1.08 goals and assists per 90. Could you imagine that production up top with the numbers Karim Benzema and Vinicius Jr. have been producing at their respective positions this season? Real Madrid would have a hell of a trident.
Luka Jovic.
Although Luka Jovic and Gareth Bale play different positions, we did see Bale operate as a false nine in one match this season. And if we are looking at all forwards, it is totally fair game to say that Bale offers more to the team than Jovic.
It's not that Jovic is a bad player. Far from it. But the problem is he does not fit the way Real Madrid want to play. They want their No. 9 to be more active and facilitate chance-creation, in addition to tracking back and pressing. Jovic can score and assist, but his all-around game is lacking and quite static.
Bale actually offers more in this role than Jovic, as we saw. But more appropriately, Bale fits what Real Madrid want in a right winger more than Jovic fits as a striker. He can cut inside on his left, he can score, he can assist, he is a more capable defensive presence than several of his peers on this list, and he has the extra factor of understanding the club's identity.
Eden Hazard.
I could have picked Rodrygo Goes here, but I want to both relieve pressure from a young, developing player and also be cognizant of the fact that Rodrygo is not a right winger. Who knows what his ceiling would be at his best position? Furthermore, Rodrygo is able to stay on the pitch more often than Gareth Bale, so it is hard to definitively say Bale offers more.
However, I can, perhaps sadly, say with confidence that Bale is better than Eden Hazard. The Belgian is now out for the rest of the season after finally undergoing surgery, and we can only wish him the best in his recovery as he looks to get his career back on track.
When it comes to comparing these two injury-prone, former superstars, the advantage goes to Bale. Hazard can do more dribbling and work in tight spaces, and he is still a great creator, as we saw at the beginning of the season. On the right wing, Bale is clearly better than Hazard. But even if we compare Hazard on the left to Bale on the right, I would take Bale. He offers a lot more effort defensively and can score more goals. Those are the two things that Real need more, as Vinicius already has the ball-carrying and creative aspects covered on the left wing.