Is Gareth Bale the footballing hero he claims to be, or was he really just Real Madrid’s part-time striker and full-time golfer? The story everyone in Spain remembers is not just the Champions League triumphs, but the endless drama over Bale’s loyalty,or lack thereof,to the world’s biggest club.

Despite hauling in five Champions League trophies and raking in the LaLiga glory, Bale somehow managed to stir up more controversy than most footballers could dream of,and for what? A supposed obsession with golf that, according to the man himself, was all blown out of proportion. But is this just damage control?

In a conveniently-timed interview (on a golf course, no less!), Bale tried to set the record straight. “I was always winning big moments,” he declared, but of course, the Spanish media remembers the moments he wasn’t playing,or wasn’t even in the country,just as vividly. “I actually never used to play golf that much,” Bale says. But the world saw the now-iconic flag: “Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order.” A harmless joke, or a slap in the face to Madrid fans? Critics pounced, and the image went viral overnight.

Now, Bale wants everyone to believe that he barely played golf at all,“once every two to three weeks,” he claims, always “on a day off.” But the narrative had already taken off, fueled by that infamous celebration and the player’s almost defiant attitude. Even Bale admits, “That slogan is the one thing I felt hard done by.” But should he really be surprised by the backlash after standing in front of that flag?

“What am I supposed to do? I can’t throw my own country’s flag on the floor...” Bale protests, painting himself as the innocent bystander caught in a media storm. Yet, he didn’t exactly rush to clarify things at the time, and the Spanish press had a field day. Bale says he was “absolutely slaughtered” by the media and claims it was all “misinformation.”

In classic fashion, Bale now says he was “naive” for not defending himself more vocally. “People believe what they read,” he admits, but for Madrid fans, the damage was already done. The debate lingers: was Bale ever really committed to Madrid, or was he just passing through between tee times?

In the end, Bale can point to his glittering trophy cabinet and epic goals, but for many, the off-field sideshow overshadowed the main event. As he put it himself, “You have to laugh or you cry. So I laughed.” The Spanish media,and maybe some fans,are still laughing, too. The legacy of Gareth Bale at Real Madrid? Still up for debate, depending on which side of the sensational story you believe.