Gareth Bale defied all the previously accepted 'knowledge' that he can't speak Spanish, with his first message to LAFC fans on his arrival.
Bale left Real Madrid at the end of the season when his contract expired, having finally got the respect he deserved by their fans at the team's Champions League victory parade.
Advert
The Welshman's time in Spain should have been an undoubted success, considering the trophies he won with Los Blancos, and the impact he had on many of them, but things didn't always go smoothly.
He was accused of not buying into the culture on the continent and criticised for not being able to speak the language, but maybe that's not the case.
Bale has now moved to the U.S to play for LAFC, taking a huge wage cut, and his first message to the fans, with a large Mexican following, was delivered in perfect Spanish.
The criticism in Madrid for Bale became worse and worse in his final few years in the Spanish capital, leading to him being referred to as a 'parasite' earlier this year.
Advert
That came from one Marca journalist, and the outlet were surprised to find the 32-year-old speaking in their native tongue on arrival in America.
They posted the video with the caption, "Bale left Madrid...and now he speaks Spanish," before deleting it and reposting it to say "Bale moves to the United States...to speak Spanish."
The former Tottenham Hotspur star, who had been linked with a return to Wales to play for Cardiff City before confirming his move to MLS, was in LA for his new club's derby.
Advert
He was initially supposed to be making his debut against LA Galaxy but his first match has been delayed due to a hold up with his visa.
A sold out Banc of California stadium gave the Wales international a standing ovation as he was presented on the pitch ahead of the game.
After a 3-2 win, Bale joined his teammates on the pitch to celebrate the win and got welcomed by his new teammates, who drenched him in water as he sang through a megaphone.
The former Southampton star will be hoping to get enough football under his belt ahead of the World Cup this winter, the first time Wales have been at the finals since 1958.
Featured Image Credit: LAFCTopics: Gareth Bale, MLS, USA, La Liga, Real Madrid
