Christian Eriksen once placed Gareth Bale in an elite tier “very, very close” behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of Wales' UEFA Nations League clash with Denmark in November 2018.
The Danish midfielder made the comments during his pre-match media duties before the decisive group fixture in Cardiff. Eriksen said Bale was just behind Messi and Ronaldo but stopped short of putting him on the same level as the two forwards.
Bale had been battling the iconic duo at the top of world football at the time. The Welsh winger starred alongside Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in Real Madrid's famous 'BBC' front three.
'Eriksen on Bale
Eriksen had seen Bale in both club and international football. The pair faced each other at club level while Eriksen was at Tottenham, and he also came up against Bale with Denmark during the Welshman's time at Real Madrid.
Speaking in November 2018, he said (via Sky Sports):
"He's a top, top player. Nobody in the world is the same as Messi or Ronaldo, but he's in a group who are very, very close behind them. He has been playing at Real Madrid for a long time now and he has done very well there. Even to ask the question about how he compares to Messi or Ronaldo shows he is up there."
Eriksen joined Tottenham in 2013, the same summer Bale completed his world-record move to Real Madrid. Tottenham used the money from Bale's sale to bring in several players, with Eriksen among them.
The pair never played together at Tottenham, but Eriksen became one of the key additions to the squad after Bale's departure. He went on to develop into one of the Premier League's leading midfielders over the following years.
At the international level, Eriksen and Bale faced each other when Denmark travelled to Cardiff for a Nations League match with group leadership at stake.
Eriksen pointed to Bale's success at Real Madrid as part of the reason for his high regard, highlighting his five years at the club and multiple Champions League titles.
As Eriksen, highlighted Bale's ability to make a difference for different teams was one of his main attributes. His description of the Welshman being a player who can have a major impact wherever he plays held merit.
Nations League Context Influenced Eriksen's Assessment
Wales entered the match as League B Group 4 leaders, but Denmark could have moved into first place with a win in Cardiff. Eriksen acknowledged the importance of the fixture when discussing Bale's influence, describing the match as being like a cup final rather than a routine international.
"We know it is like a final on Friday, and Wales have the possibility to win the group if they win the game," Eriksen said. The Tottenham midfielder also praised Wales' attacking threat, pointing to their 4-1 win over the Republic of Ireland earlier in the campaign.
“I remember we were watching Wales against Ireland in the first game between them, and they were very impressive,” Eriksen said.
“Going forward, they are very good. They have young, quick wingers and they are very good in attack,” he added.
Denmark had won the reverse fixture 2-0 in Aarhus two months earlier, with Eriksen scoring both goals. The Danes prevailed away from home, with a 2-1 win although Bale was inevitably on the scoresheet for the Welsh.
Where Bale Ranked Among Football's Elite in 2018
Eriksen's comments came during a period when Messi and Ronaldo dominated individual awards and were widely regarded as the two leading players in world football. By placing Bale just behind them, Eriksen highlighted the level he believed the Welshman had reached.
By November 2018, Bale had won four Champions League titles with Real Madrid. He had also scored in two Champions League finals, including a brace against Liverpool in the 2018 final. Eriksen also highlighted Bale's record for Wales.
He pointed to the forward's goals at the international level as another reason for his standing, given the fewer goals typically scored in international football.
"International football is all about getting goals, and he does that," Eriksen said.
Eriksen's former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp had also compared Bale with Ronaldo and Messi in 2012, shortly after the Welshman had established himself as a key player at the club.
