Gareth Bale pays tribute to his former teammate who played for 19 years

Former Real Madrid and Wales superstar Gareth Bale has paid an emotional tribute to Wayne Hennessey following the goalkeeper’s official retirement from professional football at age 38.

After a remarkable 19-year career spanning the English Premier League and the international stage, Hennessey has decided to hang up his gloves. The announcement marks the end of a journey that saw him represent clubs like Wolverhampton Wanderers, Crystal Palace, Burnley, and most recently, Nottingham Forest.

Hennessey earned 109 caps for the Wales national team, making him one of the most capped players in the country’s history.

Since his debut in 2007, the towering shot-stopper played a pivotal role in Wales’ Euro 2016 semi-final run and featured at Euro 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Gareth Bale, who shared the pitch with Hennessey during many of those iconic moments, posted a heartfelt message on social media, writing,

“A Welsh football legend, some of the best times of my career were alongside you. Happy retirement.”

Hennessey began his senior career at Wolves, making 166 appearances, before moving to Crystal Palace, where he became a regular fixture between the sticks over eight seasons.

He later featured for Burnley and joined Nottingham Forest in 2022, primarily serving as a backup goalkeeper.

Though he saw less playing time in the twilight of his club career, Hennessey remained a key figure in the Welsh national team setup.