Gareth Bale explains why he joined LAFC following Real Madrid departure

Gareth Bale has revealed he opted to join LAFC because the club quickly 'felt like home' during discussions.

The Wales international ended a glittering nine-year stay with Real Madrid in June after winning five Champions League titles among a host of other major honors.

Plenty of speculation regarding his future followed, with Bale linked with a return to Wales to join Cardiff City. In the end, and perhaps against the odds, he opted to become the latest European star to move to Major League Soccer, joining an LAFC team already top of the overall standings.

So, just what motivated Bale to arrive at Banc of California Stadium when he had so many other suitors across the pond?

“The club’s really on the rise,” he told ESPN’s Taylor Twellman and Jon Champion during half-time of LAFC's 3-2 win over rivals LA Galaxy on Friday.

“It’s very new, but it’s something that’s really glamorous and it’s a very attractive club. Just speaking with them, it felt really like the right thing to do. It felt like home straight away.”

As well as his overflowing trophy collection, Bale has played 540 club games combined during spells in England and Spain with Southampton, Tottenham, and Real Madrid. At international level, the 32-year-old is Wales' record goalscorer with 40 goals in 106 caps. Most recently, Bale helped his nation reach their first World Cup since 1958.

That's an incredible CV and it's Bale's hope that he can pass on some of that experience to LAFC's younger players during his time with the club.

“I can come in and offer obviously what I can do in football, but I can help with the youngsters,” Bale said. “Because obviously, it’s a very young team here, giving them advice, seeing what I do in terms of professional standard and trying to help them.

“I think the league is a growing league and it was an exciting opportunity that I felt was right for me and my family.”

Bale added: “I want to come here, I want to play games, I want to make my stamp and I want to do as best as I can to help LAFC try to win a trophy.”