If you are a football fan, you must have come across the phrase “Wales Madrid”. But what does it mean
Who said it In this article, we’ll explore the origins of this phrase and how it became a popular meme in the football world.
What is Wales Madrid
Wales Madrid is a phrase that was coined by Welsh national team manager Ryan Giggs. In 2019, Giggs was asked about his star player Gareth Bale’s future at Real Madrid. Bale had been struggling to get game time under Zinedine Zidane and there were rumors of him leaving the club.
In response to the question, Giggs said, “I’m his national team coach and I’d love him to be playing regularly but that’s not the case at the moment. When he does [play], he scores goals and he’s a match-winner.
If it’s not at Real Madrid then obviously it’s up to Gareth where he goes. But for me, I’m hoping he stays at Real Madrid. From selfish reasons, of course.”
It was this last sentence – “from selfish reasons” – that caught everyone’s attention. It was an unexpected comment from Giggs and one that hinted at his desire for Bale to return to playing regularly for Wales.
The Meme
Soon after Giggs’ comments, social media was flooded with memes featuring the phrase “Wales Madrid”. The meme typically features an image of Bale looking unhappy or frustrated on the bench at Real Madrid with the caption “Ryan Giggs: ‘From selfish reasons I want him to stay at Wales Madrid'”.
The meme quickly went viral and became a popular way for football fans to express their frustration with Bale’s lack of game time at Real Madrid.
The Impact
While Wales Madrid may have started as a joke, it has had a real impact on the football world. The meme has become so popular that it’s now used by fans of other clubs to mock their own players who are struggling for game time.
More importantly, it has also put pressure on Real Madrid to give Bale more playing time. The club has been criticized for not making the most of one of their best players and the Wales Madrid meme has only highlighted this fact.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Wales Madrid is a phrase that was coined by Ryan Giggs in reference to Gareth Bale’s future at Real Madrid. While it started as a joke, it has had a real impact on the football world and become a popular meme among fans.
As for Bale himself, he eventually left Real Madrid in 2020 to rejoin his former club Tottenham Hotspur on loan. Whether he’ll return to Real Madrid or stay at Tottenham remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure – the Wales Madrid meme will continue to live on in football culture.