Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale is to donate around £1million in Wales and Spain for the fight against coronavirus.
The 30-year-old and his wife Gemma have made a £500,000 donation to help NHS staff in Cardiff, and will follow suit with a further €500,000 for the health service in Madrid.
Bale made the donation to the Cardiff and Vale Health University health board and released a video thanking NHS staff for their work in dealing with the crisis over the past few weeks.
“I just wanted to make this video to thank everybody in the NHS for all their hard work and sacrifice during this Covid-19 crisis,” the former Tottenham winger said.
“The University Hospital in Wales holds a special place in my heart. It is where I was born and it’s provided great support to my friends, my family and the wider community.
"So me and my family would like to show our support. Keep up the good work. You’re doing an amazing job and thank you very much.”
The chief executive at Cardiff and Vale University Health board, Len Richards, said: “It’s so heartening to hear they have chosen to give something back to their local hospital to say thank you for the services both them, their family and friends have received and to recognise all the hard work the staff and all at our hospitals are doing at this very difficult time.
“Gestures like this are testament to the fantastic work that our clinical and support colleagues carry out every day.”
