Gareth Bale has given major credit to former Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas for his rise to brilliance.

The Real Madrid star, sold by Spurs for a world-record £86million in the summer of 2013, says Villas-Boas moved him tactically to a centre-forward role that freed him to influence games and sent his self-confidence sky-rocketing.

In an interview with the Telegraph, Bale said: “At the beginning of that 2012-13 season, AVB had just joined and we had this big chat.

“I said that I felt I could go up a level and was frustrated by being double-marked every game on the left-wing.

“We decided to give me that free role where I was able to wander and find space and that was it.

“As soon as we did it, I started playing better and scoring more goals, the team began winning more games and it had a snowball effect. My confidence was sky-high.

“The confidence he showed in me was unbelievable. He instilled me with a belief that I can go on to the pitch and control a game. If we were struggling, I suddenly believed that I could go and take over.

“I’ll always be very grateful to him.”

Villas-Boas, now boss at Zenit St Petersburg, was ultimately sacked by Spurs just months after Bale was sold to the now European Champions, following an indifferent start to the 2013-14 season.

And Bale has also thanked Villas-Boas' predecessor, Harry Redknapp, for giving him “ a kick up the arse”.

“He was the one who started the ball rolling. If I didn’t get that kick I wouldn’t be where I am now – I needed it,” he said.