28 October 2023 , 22:38
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Welsh legend Gareth Bale would bow out as a hero in his last club game for LAFC after winning the 2022 MLS Cup - but his memorable final bow nearly never happened.
The former Real Madrid superstar would bring the curtain down on one of most storied club careers with a typically dramatic final goal. Rising heroically to meet a cross in the 128th minute against Philadelphia Union, he would write his name into history once more.
The late strike would force a penalty shootout and from there, LAFC would see the pendulum swing in their direction as they triumphed against the odds via spotkicks.
The flying winger had struggled for fitness during his short spell in the US, managing to start on just two occasions in his time stateside. In fact, he was even a doubt for the MLS Cup final, which explains why he was introduced as a substitute rather than making the starting XI.
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Now, the former Tottenham hero has explained how he could not face the possibility of missing out on playing in what would prove to be the last final of his career. Speaking on MLS Season Pass' 'Playoff Moments', he recounted the tale of his clutch equaliser and the fact that he nearly was sidelined for the game.
Explaining his mindset, he said: "Leading up to the MLS Cup Final I probably wasn't in the best of shape and I had a few problems. You try to patch yourself up, you try and recover, you try and do as much treatment as you can to get yourself ready and to give it my all because I knew how much it meant."
At one point before the final, LAFC head coach Marc Dos Santos had directly asked the Welsh superstar what he felt he had in the tank for the title decider. Broaching the subject, he queried: "How many minutes you think you have inside" before Bale replied: "If we need a goal, you could put me in."
Los Angeles FC's Gareth Bale was the hero as his team defeated the Philadelphia Union on penalties to win the MLS Cup (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP/REX/Shutterstock)Of course, the rest is very much history as the former Los Blancos forward delivered one of the most memorable moments in the history of MLS. Speaking at a press conference after the game, the former Wales captain could hardly hid his delight as he said: "It's nice, it's always nice to score in finals.
"I seem to have a knack for doing it! It's big. It's important for the club and important for the fans. We were down to 10 men, not really looking like we were going to get anything out of the game. Credit to everybody to keep pushing and fighting. It was nice to get the goal to help the team."
Bale added: "It's special. The reason why I came here was to try to help the club win a trophy and to win the MLS Cup. Obviously, they've come close in the past but never got to the final and won it."