Gareth Bale opens up on the reality of working with Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid

March 6, 2026 Oliver Obel

Former Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale has opened up about what life was like behind the scenes during one of the most successful periods in the club’s history, offering insight into the management styles that shaped the team.

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast alongside Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Ian Wright and Jill Scott, the Welshman reflected on his time at the Spanish giants and the different approaches taken by managers Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti.

Bale spent nine seasons at Real Madrid after joining from Tottenham in 2013 in what was then a world-record transfer. During that period he won five Champions League titles, including three consecutive triumphs under Zidane between 2016 and 2018.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HgfuJZVLHU

A different kind of coaching approach

According to Bale, managing the personalities inside the Real Madrid dressing room can be just as important as tactical planning.

“I wasn’t surprised that Xabi Alonso was sacked by Real Madrid. If you try to overthink things tactically at Real... you simply need to be excellent at managing people. Keeping players happy. Allowing them to do what they do best on the pitch,” Bale said on the podcast.

He pointed to Carlo Ancelotti as a manager who understood that balance better than most.

“Ancelotti? He was like your best friend. But he had a switch: if you trained poorly, he would absolutely tear you apart, anyone. The same applied at half-time, but he had the perfect balance,” Bale said.

The Italian coach, Bale added, had a unique ability to maintain harmony within the squad even when players were not regular starters.

“Carlo knew how to manage people better than anyone. Even if you weren’t playing, he made you feel like his best friend. He had the ability to keep everyone in good spirits and create the right environment for the team.”

Zidane kept things simple

Bale also described Zidane’s approach to training, suggesting the Frenchman often kept tactical preparation brief.

“Zidane as a coach? Honestly, he didn’t do much,” Bale said. “We’d go over some tactics before matches against Barcelona or Bayern — maybe 15 minutes of defensive work. Other than that, it was possession games, shooting drills, and then we’d go home.”

Despite the relaxed structure, Bale said Zidane commanded enormous respect in the dressing room due to his legendary playing career.

“But he earned respect thanks to his qualities as a player,” Bale added. “He joined in training and even beat me a few times — he’s still in great shape.”

Manchester United tried to sign Bale

During the same podcast appearance, Bale confirmed that Manchester United attempted to sign him before his move to Spain in 2013.

“United and Madrid were the two teams. I did talk to United, yeah. They actually bid more than Madrid,” Bale said.

When asked whether he ever seriously considered the move to Old Trafford, he gave a brief answer: “No.”

Bale explained that he had already set his sights on joining Real Madrid and had an understanding with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy about a potential transfer abroad.

“My heart was set on Madrid,” he said. “I had something in place with Daniel Levy, maybe more of a gentleman’s agreement, because he didn’t want to sell me to a rival.”

Under that arrangement, Bale said Tottenham were more open to selling him to clubs outside England, particularly if the team failed to qualify for the Champions League.

“So if a team did come in from Spain, Italy or wherever, I could potentially go,” Bale explained. “We had that gentleman’s agreement, even though he made it very tough.”

Sources: Stick to Football podcast