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Former Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Michael Dawson has claimed that Gareth Bale was as good as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. He went on to assert that Bale was an iconic forward whose proficiency helped his team to win games.
Speaking to BetMGM, Dawson revealed that Bale was a talented player who made his teammates better. The 42-year-old also claimed that the former Real Madrid star was a world-class footballer, saying (via Spurs Web):
"He was a world-class footballer and for me he was in the [Lionel] Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo bracket. It wasn’t for as long as the other two, but Gareth was a superstar who could win you a game like you were playing in the park on a Sunday morning."
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Dawson added:
"Exceptionally talented players don’t come around very often, and I was always of the belief that if they are of that sort of level, they carry their teammates forward, and he did that countless times."
Before he announced his retirement from professional football, Bale was known to be a remarkable forward. He rose from being a left-back and became one of the most dangerous right-wingers.
Meanwhile, unlike Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Bale's career was arguably affected by numerous fitness setbacks. However, he proved to be a productive player who leveraged his remarkable pace to unlock defenses.
Bale scored 185 goals and delivered 133 assists in 554 club career games before hanging up his boots in January 2023.
"He’s got the whole package." When Gareth Bale revealed why he prefers Cristiano Ronaldo to Lionel Messi
Gareth Bale once revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo's all-around proficiency was the reason why he preferred the Portuguese to Lionel Messi. He went on to list several key attributes of Ronaldo that made him a more complete footballer.
In an interview, Bale was once asked who he preferred between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. He said (via GOAL):
"For me, personally, I’d say Ronaldo. He’s got the whole package. He’s strong, he’s powerful, he’s pacey, can head the ball, strike the ball. Obviously, you can’t say anything bad about Messi, but for the all-round complete footballer, I’d say Cristiano Ronaldo.”
The comparison involving Messi and Ronaldo has always left football fans divided. However, Bale claimed that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was a more complete footballer at the time.
While both players are getting to the climax of their careers, they have arguably remained consistent in attack. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has scored 786 goals and registered 377 assists in 960 club career games. Meanwhile, Ronaldo has registered 804 goals and 258 assists in 1065 club career encounters.
