Gareth Bale said on Wednesday that his time at Real Madrid was an "incredible experience" as he confirmed his departure from the LaLiga club after a nine-year spell in the Spanish capital. The 32-year-old, who signed for Real from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013, was out of contract this summer. "I write this message to say thank you to all my teammates, past and present, my managers, the backroom staff and to the fans that supported me," Bale, who scored 106 goals in 258 appearances for Real, said in a social media post.