Gareth Bale brought an abrupt end to his glittering playing career recently, leaving behind an undeniable impact on the game from hoovering up trophies in Madrid to leading Wales into major tournaments.

At just 33, it's sad to see someone with such talent leave the game a bit earlier then expected, but he could hardly have done more for both club and country during his time.

A record of 226 goals in 664 games from spells with Southampton, Tottenham, Real Madrid, Los Angeles FC, along with his talismanic efforts on the international stage with Wales, only tells half the story.

• Gareth Bale retired from football aged just 33 after leading Wales to World Cup
• Welshman won five UEFA Champions Leagues with Real Madrid
• Led Wales to UEFA EUROS semi-finals in 2016

As the converted left-back was one of the most electrifying players in the world on his day - he scored huge goals in huge games and perhaps even more than that he took a country on his shoulders and led them into the promised land - no doubt inspiring the next generation as a result.

Let's take a look back at some of the finest moments from Bale's career.