The Arsenal midfielder says that the Real Madrid star was world class even at Tottenham Hotspur.
Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has told The Mirror that Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale was world class even he was at Tottenham Hotspur.
Wilshere will come up against Bale when England face Wales at the Euro 2016 finals this week.
The Three Lions will take on the Dragons at Stade Felix Bollaert-Delelis in Lens in Group B on Thursday.
Bale is Wales’s best player and will be the main threat for Roy Hodgson’s side, who played out a 1-1 draw with Russia in their opening Euro 2016 match.
Wilshere may not start the game for England, but he is fully aware of the threat posed by Bale.
“Messi is on a different planet to anyone but I think Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale are up there with the best in the world,” the Arsenal midfielder told The Mirror. “He has developed but even at Tottenham he was world class.
“He has gone on from there and become a fantastic player and there is no denying that. He’s going to be their biggest threat and we have got to stop him getting the ball.”
Bale started his professional club football career at Southampton before joining Tottenham in the summer of 2007.
The Wales international did take a while to settle into life at Spurs, but once he did, he showcased his talent and quality.
Spanish and European giants Madrid signed the winger in the summer of 2013, and Bale has been quite successful for Los Blancos.
Bale has won the Champions League twice and the Copa del Rey once with Madrid.
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