Gareth Bale produced a sensational piece of skill on his LAFC debut on Sunday evening, helping them win 2-1 away at MLS rivals Nashville.
The Wales international, 33, made an immediate impact in California. He came on in the 72nd minute and got his first touch of the ball moments later down the right wing, using his years of experience and effortless talent to show the world he's still got it.
Bale controlled the ball with his left foot, then used to same boot to roll it back and flick it to a teammate - completely bamboozling his marker in the process. "Fancy footwork from Bale," yelled the commentator as the crowd inside GEODIS Park screamed in delight.
Bale is hoping for a renaissance in the US after a difficult end to his Real Madrid career. Although he added another La Liga title and Champions League crown to his trophy cabinet, he made just seven appearances during his final season in the Spanish capital.
The Tottenham icon is aiming to maintain his fitness ahead of the World Cup in Qatar, the first time Wales have qualified for the finals since 1958. Rumours about his retirement continue to circulate, although his existing LAFC deal could run until 2024.
"It felt amazing, as soon as I got on the bench I wanted to try to get on and help the team," said Bale after his debut. "It's important also for me individually that I get my fitness going. Obviously it's the end of the season in Europe, so [it was] good to get some minutes and more importantly get three points.
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"It was kind of an important time to come into the game. It wasn't one of those where you need to go and score goals. We had to try to keep the ball, run the clock down in a way and try to be sensible. We kept the ball well, we made it difficult for them. The most important thing in football is getting the three points and we're all happy with that."
Bale wasn't the only superstar to make his LAFC debut on Sunday. Giorgio Chiellini, who also signed for the club in June, started the game. The Californian outfit have the best record in the MLS and are aiming to win the title with Bale and Chiellini on their books.
LAFC took the lead in Tennessee thanks to forward Christian Arango before Nashville striker Hany Mukhtar equalised on the stroke of half-time. Midfielder Jose Cifuentes scored the winner just after the interval to send the visitors top of the Western Conference.
Bale added: "I haven't come here just to wind down. I want to try and contribute as much as I can to this team, try to win games and trophies and just do as much as I can. I'm excited to get my debut out of the way and hopefully I can just keep building my fitness and helping the team."
LAFC manager Steve Cherundolo noted: "Giorgio, we chose to start and see how long his legs would take him after a very short pre-season, and to last for 60 minutes was great. It's great for him, great for the group, very solid performance, much as what we suspected.
"A player of his calibre, he prides himself on not making mistakes, and he can get on the plane tonight and say he played a mistake-free game. He is a world-class defender and he is an amazing human being in the locker room. So we're ecstatic to have him here and it was really important for us to get him and Gareth a win in their first game."
