10 Most Legendary Substitutes In Football History
3. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) Vs Liverpool
Gareth Bale came off the bench to shatter Liverpool’s European dream as Real Madrid claimed a third straight Champions League triumph.
Gareth Bale has played a key role in Real Madrid's recent golden era after scoring in three different finals for Los Blancos. In the 2014 Copa del Rey final, he produced a spectacular run before a subtle finish. In the UEFA Champions League final against Atletico in 2014, he also scored in extra-time. And in 2018, he produced a spectacular bicycle kick against Liverpool to give Real Madrid their 13th European title.
Real Madrid star Gareth Bale may not have started the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League final at Kiev's Olympic Stadium, but by the time the match was over, the internet couldn't stop talking about him.
Ronaldo also scored a spectacular overhead kick, in a quarter-final victory over Juventus – who he joined after nine years at the Bernabeu – but Manchester United Legend Ryan Giggs felt Bale’s strike was better, under greater pressure, on the biggest of stages. Giggs said:
“Gareth’s goal wasn’t one of the best goals of last season, it was the best, I can’t actually believe they bothered to nominate any others, it was the winner, it’s as simple as that.”