Top five games that announced the arrival of future stars

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Cristiano Ronaldo ran riot against Manchester United in the 2003 friendly fixture

#2: GARETH BALE (TOTTENHAM VS INTER MILAN)

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FC Internazionale Milano v Tottenham Hotspur - UEFA Champions League
Gareth Bale tearing Inter Milan apart

Who can forget that night at San Siro? Tottenham were in the round of 16 of Champions League for the first time in their club's history, facing title defenders Inter Milan. The fixture turned out to be a nightmare in the first half, with the Italians going 4-0 up by the half time.

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Assou Ekotto had been red carded for a foul on Samuel Eto'o in the penalty box, reducing Tottenham to ten men.

But left back Gareth Bale stole the show in the second half. His explosive and blistering pace troubled Maicon on the right. Maicon, regarded as the best right back at that time, looked absolutely clueless when it came to stopping the young Welshman. Bale tore Maicon apart in that fixture, and they say the Brazilian was never the same again.

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Bale's opener was quite stunning as he collected the ball inside his own half, ran 50 yards down the left, beat Zanetti and scored the first goal. The second wasn't much different, as Bale ran 15 yards, cut past Zanetti once again and finished sweetly across shot-stopper Julio Cesar.

And then there was the third, in injury time, set up by Aaron Lennon on the edge of the penalty area - to the left obviously - with finishing as smart as that of any striker. Tottenham lost 4-3 to Inter Milan. But, the fixture saw the birth of a superstar, as Gareth Bale went on to be the best-ever player in Tottenham's history.

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Edited by Shambhu Ajith
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