Gareth Bale and that ‘Wales, golf, Madrid’ flag: Real are not amused

The banner is a laugh. And yet, importantly, the Welshman surely knows that most in Madrid won’t find it funny

It was Pedja Mijatovic who started it. One night on the radio, the former Real Madrid player and sporting director said he hadn’t spoken to Gareth Bale but the impression he got was that his priorities were Wales, golf, and Madrid – and in that order. That sounded pretty good to Wales fans, already on his side. Songs followed swiftly and so did the flags. One of them found its way on to the pitch and into the players’ hands as they celebrated reaching Euro 2020. Dancing about and grinning right behind it is Bale, enjoying the silliness of it all, the caption covering half his body: “Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order.”

Bale had said he was aware of the chant, the slogan, and here it was in black and white (and green and red). “I’ve heard it, especially when I was on the bench, and the boys were laughing,” he explained. “It’s a good bit of fun.” Which it may be to him, although there is something pointed in it too, but a lot of people don’t see the funny side. Some of them are at the Santiago Bernabéu: Madrid are not amused. This has not pleased anyone there, but nor has it entirely surprised them: there is a sense that this does not break anything, exactly; it merely underlines that something was already broken. It was a joke, they know, but not in great taste and with a message attached to it – if only because he didn’t distance himself from it.

Continue reading…