Gareth Bale has penned a strong response to brutal criticism levelled at him from some sections of the Spanish media after another terrific display for Wales during their World Cup qualifying campaign. The Real Madrid star netted two stunning strikes on Thursday evening for Wales as they secured a 2-1 victory over Austria.
His latest brilliant showing for his country follows a season in which he has borne the brunt of severe criticism in Spain. After notching 16 goals in all competitions for Spurs while on loan last season, his return to Spain has not gone to plan having only appeared in five matches, scoring just once.
Following his display for Wales, he was the target of brutal articles, with some in particular labelling him as a ‘parasite’. Bale has now hit back at the criticism with a strongly-worded statement.
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Taking to Twitter, the 32-year-old wrote: “At a time where people are taking their own lives because of the callousness and relentlessness of the media, I want to know, who is holding these journalists and the news outlets that allow them to write articles like this, accountable?
“Fortunately I have developed a thick skin during my time in the public spotlight, but that doesn’t mean articles like these don’t cause damage and upset personally and professionally to those at the receiving end of these malicious stories.
“I have witnessed the toll the media can take on people’s mental health and physical health.
“The media expect superhuman performances from professional athletes, and will be the first to celebrate with them when they deliver, yet instead of commiserating with them when they show one ounce of human error, they are torn to shreds instead, encouraging anger and disappointment in their fans.
“The everyday pressures on athletes is immense, and it’s clear as day, how negative media attention could easily send an already stressed athlete, or anybody in the public eye, over the edge.
“I hope that by the time our children are of an age where they are able to ingest news, that journalism ethics and standards will have been enforced more stringently.
“So I want to use my platform to encourage change in the way we publicly talk about, and criticise people, simply for the most part, not meeting the unrealistic expectations that are projected onto them. We all know who the real Parasite is!”
Since completing his record-move to Real Madrid in 2013, he has gone on to score 106 goals for the Spanish giants, playing his role in four Champions League successes, as well as two La Liga title wins. However, he has regularly been a target of such criticism, despite the tangible results on the pitch.
