Gareth Bale Becomes World's Most Expensive Footballer

Gareth Bale has finally completed his €100 million transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid. The Welshman has signed a six year contract worth £170,000 per week after tax. Bale’s move has made him the most expensive player in football history, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo who cost €94 million in 2009.

Ronaldo also left the English Premier League to join Real Madrid. Indeed, the Spanish giants have focused on landing superstars or Galácticos as part of a strategy formulated during the presidency of Florentino Pérez. Out of the top 10 most expensive players in football history, five joined Real Madrid. Zinedine Zidane was one of those, making a €75 million switch in 2001, the world’s third highest transfer fee.

Kaká’s €68 million transfer in 2009 and Luís Figo’s €62 million transfer in 2000, both to Real Madrid, still rank as the fifth and seventh highest transfer fees in history. Zlatan Ibrahimovic comes fourth on the list overall – his 2009 transfer from Internazionale to Barcelona cost €69 million.