Gareth Bale insists he is 'a footballer, not a heartthrob' ahead of Euro 16 qualifier

London: Real Madrid ace left-back Gareth Bale has insisted that his on-field achievements would always carry more weight than his celebrity status, claiming that he is footballer and not a heartthrob.

Bale's 86 million pounds move to Real from Tottenham Hotspur put him in the top bracket of sporting superstars.

But, as the free-kick specialist looks to guide Wales to victory over Belgium in Sunday's Euro 2016 qualifier in Brussels, Bale is happy to eschew the glitz and glamour to ensure he is remembered for his feats on the football field, The Independent reported.

He said that he is a footballer, not a heartthrob, and added that he wants to make the most of the way things are going in his career. So, he said that football and doing well for Real and Wales would always come before anything else.

The defender said that it has to, because he wants to be successful for club and country.

Bale is a talismanic figure for Chris Coleman's Wales' side. He has scored eight goals in his last 12 internationals, including the double, which rescued Wales in Andorra, the report added.