Football
Tom Marshall, Mexico correspondent 6y

Wales boss Ryan Giggs call Gareth Bale 'greatest' Welsh player I've seen

LOS ANGELES -- Wales manager Ryan Giggs poured praise on Gareth Bale following his match-winning performance for Real Madrid in Saturday's 3-1 Champions League victory over Liverpool in Kiev, Ukraine.

"It's quite apt that Zidane is the [Real Madrid] manager," Giggs said ahead of Wales' training session in Los Angeles. "The goal he scored at Hampden Park [in 2002], one of those goals where you just go 'wow.'"

"And it was one of those moments from Gareth. It's up there as one of the best Champions Leagues goals ever ... It's just an amazing impact and an amazing goal but, like I say, it's what he's capable of."

The Wales squad, which is preparing for Tuesday's friendly against Mexico at the Rose Bowl, assembled in the team hotel to watch the Champions League final and Giggs said the room "erupted" when Bale's overhead kick in the 64th minute put Real Madrid 2-0 up.

"Amazing scenes," Giggs said." It was great that all the team could watch it and celebrate it together."

Giggs believes Bale's impact for Real Madrid over recent years means he is Wales' best ever player.

"He's the greatest [Welsh player] I've seen," said Giggs. "I didn't see John Charles play and many others around that time."

"Great players turn up and make the difference and he's done it twice now in Champions League finals. To win four, to go to Real Madrid and be so successful, yeah he's got to be [the greatest]."

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