“It was the reason why I joined" - Gareth Bale claims he joined Real Madrid to play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and the other Galacticos

Gareth Bale recently said that playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and other galacticos was one of the main reasons behind his decision to join Real Madrid.

Bale joined Los Blancos in 2013 from Tottenham Hotspur for a then-world record fee of £85 million. He arrived as one of the top players in world football.

Speaking about the move, Bale recently told The Times:

“It was the reason why I joined, to play with those two (Ronaldo and Karim Benzema) and the others behind me with Modric, Xabi Alonso and then [Toni] Kroos signed. felt it was just an incredible opportunity to go to a club where it had amazing players.”

Along with Cristiano Ronaldo and Benzema, Bale formed one of the most lethal attacking trios in world football. The trio won four UEFA Champions League trophies in the five seasons they played together.

Bale, however, took time to get his bearings in the Spanish capital. He received criticism from the Spanish media during the adaptation phase.

Bale claimed that signing for such a high-profile team was one of the main reasons he received such widespread criticism.

He said:

“It’s probably a big reason why the press in Spain were so bad. You sign as a galactico and they expect you to be everywhere, do everything, and I was the opposite. I just wanted to play my football and then disappear back into the darkness."

Gareth Bale was defended by Cristiano Ronaldo for his slow start at Real Madrid

While Gareth Bale was a superstar at Tottenham Hotspur, it took the Welshman some time to get going at Real Madrid. He was scathingly attacked by the media on occasions during the initial stages of his career at the club.

Cristiano Ronaldo came out in support of his former teammate. The Portuguese told the media that Bale has quality and should be given the time he needs to flourish.

Ronaldo said (via GiveMeSport):

"I think Gareth Bale has done well. Since he arrived he has had to do a preseason, so it has been difficult for him. But you can see he is very excited about being here."

Ronaldo added:

"He always wants to improve, which is important. People put pressure on him, for how much he costs, which I do not think is good for him. If you want to help him, leave him alone, put pressure on other players. I am sure he will do very well for the team."

Cristiano Ronaldo's words turned out to be right, as Gareth Bale was a key player for Real Madrid in his first season at the club.

He played a key role in helping Real Madrid win the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League during the 2013–14 season.