Article by Aurelian Botezatu – Published Thursday, October 16, 2025, 09:27 / Updated Thursday, October 16, 2025 09:29
Gareth Bale lives with his family in the United States of America and recently confessed that he lives a modest life. The reason? Despite the fabulous sums he has earned in his career, especially at Real Madrid, he is afraid of running out of money!
Gareth Bale: “It's something that always scared me”
“You read articles about how people, when they finish professional sports, go bankrupt. They don't know how to manage their money, they don't know how to manage. It's something that always scared me,” the former Welsh international confessed, in an interview given to the publication Front Office Sports.
Gareth Bale, in Real Madrid shirt // photo: Guliver/gettyimages
At the height of his career, Bale was among the richest players in Europe, earning €637,500 a week at the 'Santiago Bernabeu' after signing a six-year contract worth €172 million in 2016. That amount would become a veritable millstone for the Spanish club, who towards the end of the deal kept trying to sell Bale, without success.
Gareth Bale: 'I've always had an eye for what life will be like after football'
In 2022, Spanish daily Marca ranked him the third highest paid player on the continent, after Neymar and Lionel Messi. “I imagine a lot of athletes lead a luxurious lifestyle. I try not to do that. I've always had an eye for what life will be like after football,” he confessed.
“When I finish, I don't get paid anymore. How do I restructure my life then? So I always tried to diversify from the beginning. I always had this basic idea: to try to invest my money in different things“, explained Bale.
Gareth Bale has business in Cardiff, is a TNT Sports pundit and plays golf
After retiring, Bale built up a portfolio of businesses in Cardiff. He owns 'Elevens Bar' and 'Par 59', a miniature golf themed bar located in the city centre, and led a consortium that submitted a £40m bid to buy the club in his hometown of Cardiff City.
He also works as a TNT Sports pundit for Champions League broadcasts, has a sponsorship deal with BMW and is very passionate about golf. Bale recently appeared at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, finishing as one of the top amateurs in a field that also included Andy Murray, Ben Stokes and Lando Norris.
