"I seem to have a knack" - Former Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale says he always seems to score in finals after helping LAFC win MLS Cup

Former Real Madrid star and Los Angeles FC forward Gareth Bale has expressed his delight after his goalscoring performance for his team in the recent MLS Cup summit clash.

Bale, 33, helped LAFC lift their first-ever MLS Cup with a last-ditch leveller against Philadelphia Union at the Banc of California Stadium on Saturday (5 November). After he made it 3-3 in extra-time, the Steve Cherundolo-coached outfit triumphed 3-0 in a penalty shootout.

Speaking at a post-match press conference, Bale reflected on his dramatic equalizer against Philadelphia Union. He told reporters (via ESPN):

"It's always nice to score in finals and I seem to have a knack of doing that. It's big. It's important for the club, it's important for the fans. We were down to 10 men and not really looking like we were going to get anything out of the game."

Bale stated that helping his team was a "great feeling". He added:

"So credit to everybody to keep pushing, keep fighting and, like I said, it was nice to get the goal and to help the team. Where it ranks, I'm not too sure, but it's a great feeling."

A left-footed inside-forward renowned for his pace and finishing, Bale has a record of scoring crucial goals in finals. Prior to his recent header for LAFC, he netted five goals in summit clashes. He has scored in two UEFA Champions League finals, one Copa del Rey final and one FIFA Club World Cup final in the colors of Real Madrid.

Bale, who registered 173 goal involvements in 258 games for Real Madrid, also highlighted his recent switch to Los Angeles. He said:

"It's been a difficult transition coming in with no pre-season. But I've tried to keep as fit as I can, try to help the team as much as I can on and off the pitch and it's all worth it when you have moments like today. The most important thing was the target to win the MLS Cup final and we've managed to do that."

Bale has scored three goals in 14 games for LAFC so far.

Real Madrid ahead of other clubs in the race to sign €60 million-rated prodigy

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid are leading the race to sign Palmeiras wonderkid Endrick along with other heavyweight clubs like Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Chelsea. The promising forward has a release clause in the region of €60 million.

Endrick, 16, has been touted as the next Brazilian sensation due to his electric performances in his age-group matches for his current club. He shot to fame after guiding Palmeiras' U20 team to their first-ever Copinha triumph in January. Endrick also bagged the Player of the Tournament award after netting six times in seven matches.

Since being promoted to the senior team earlier this year, Endrick has scored three goals and laid out one assist in five appearances this season.