Gareth Bale spoke to the media after winning the MLS Cup title on Saturday with Los Angeles FC and expressed his happiness as being “able to score in finals is incredible”.
“It’s incredible to score in finals because it’s the most important time for a club and, above all, for its fans,” said Bale, who sent the LA side to the penalty shootout with a header in the last minute of extra time to tie the score at 3-3.
It was the first MLS Cup title for LAFC, founded just five years ago, after a hard-fought and thrilling match that ended in a 3-0 penalty shootout win for Steve Cherundolo‘s side.
Bale and substitute goalkeeper John McCarthy were the men of the night coming off the bench. The latter for being the hero in the penalty shootout and the former for pushing his teammates on when many thought the game was already settled.
“It was a huge collective effort and it’s great to have been able to be part of it with the goal,” said the Welsh international, who will soon leave with his national team to play in the World Cup in Qatar.
The former Real Madrid player, with extensive experience in scoring during decisive matches, also alluded to this competition and explained that winning the MLS Cup has “a lot of merit” because “we had to stay focused despite the fact that the World Cup is approaching” and because, in addition, he arrived at LAFC “without doing pre-season”.
A complicated transition
“I feel very good after the goal, I will try to do the same in the World Cup,” he joked to finish by adding that “there is still a lot of room for improvement” and that he has already come through his “complicated transition” to US soccer.
Clearly adapted to the atmosphere of the LA locker room, Bale was interrupted by laughter from his teammates in the press room and particularly Cristian Arango, the Colombian striker with whom he has a great relationship.
This MLS Cup also caps the amazing progress of LAFC, which in five years has become one of the strongest teams in the league and has created a great rivalry with the LA Galaxy.
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