Real Madrid’s memorable ‘BBC’ attacking trio are once again the talk of the town. Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema’s performances are etched in the minds of club fans, but two are in the spotlight.
The debate over who was faster, the Welshman or the Portuguese, caused heated debate among fans. However, Bale gave his opinion on the matter.
Bale takes on CR7
Gareth played most of his career at Real Madrid, where he stayed for eight seasons from 2013 to 2022, sharing the field with Ronaldo until 2018 after Cristiano left for Juventus.
For several years, their athleticism and explosive speed led to a competition on the field to see who was faster. CR7 distinguished himself from an early age with his incredible athleticism, acceleration, running ability, and ability to change pace, which allowed him to overcome defenders with ease.
On the other hand, many consider Bale to be one of the fastest players in football. His long stride and ability to cover long distances in seconds made him especially dangerous.
Now, recently appearing on the Stick to Football podcast, the Welshman addressed the debate and clarified his position.
“Cristiano will argue otherwise, as he does,” he clarified before handing down his verdict, “but I would like to think so (I was the fastest in the Real Madrid team),” he said (via Sportkeeda).
Research has shown that Bale’s top speed was 36.9km/h, while Cristiano Ronaldo reached around 38.6km/h during the match. However, although the difference is small, there is no doubt that it is an impressive number.
Moreover, this “competition” between the speed of the two players was not a negative rivalry, but rather an advantage that the team knew how to exploit. Together they played 157 matches and won 106 and 13 titles: 4 Champions Leagues, 3 Club World Cups, 3 European Super Cups, 1 La Liga title, 1 Copa del Rey and 1 Spanish Super Cup.
So while there has been a lot of debate as to which was faster, the truth is that both gave Real Madrid exceptional speed and formed one of the most feared front lines in modern football.
