Gareth Bale: Is Football's Next Great Player a Welshman?

When people think about the great players of this generation, the name Lionel Messi springs to mind.  This talented, quick, hard-working attacking talent scores tantalizing goals week in and week out (barring any interaction with a certain Atletico defender). 

But another talented left-footer, a certain someone that recorded a hat-trick at the San Siro, is emerging as football's newest and youngest star: Gareth Bale.

Every great footballer has a plethora of natural talent, a knack for quick learning, and a high work rate.  Bale’s arsenal includes all of these.

Elite talents are identified from an early age. Bale was no different.  His grade school coach allowed him to only use his right foot and play one touch in games of football where his mates could freely use both feet with no touch limit.

This was not punishment, but rather acknowledgement of Gareth’s great left foot.  This same coach was later quoted saying, “Gareth has a fierce determination to succeed, and has the character and qualities to achieve his personal goals.” 

But just having natural talent is half the battle. In order to be great, he would need someone to refine it.  Prior to this year Bale was considered a raw player, a player that needed more time to mature.  Harry Redknapp has helped Bale turn this raw talent into a frightening left-sided footballer that is a threat to every right back in the world.

Take Maicon for example, the Brazil international who is arguably the best right back in the world.  Bale burned by Maicon with sheer speed and power countless times while recording a hat-trick for Spurs.

His high work rate, his speed, and his power have turned him into one of the hottest goal scorers in the world, for both club and country, as well as one of the hottest properties.  For Wales he scored his first goal of the Euro 2012 campaign in Switzerland earlier this month, and for his club, his work at the San Siro speaks for itself.

Although Tottenham lost the match 4-3, Bale shattered expectations against the UEFA Champions, Inter, on a night that marked his arrival as one of the world’s most potent finishers.

The question that remains is not whether Gareth Bale will emerge as a top player or goal scorer, someone we always remember.  The question should be if we will ever get the joy of seeing him make runs at helpless right backs in a World Cup.

If there is one person that can send Wales there, it’s Gareth Bale.