Gareth Bale in Ronaldo and Messi's class, says Redknapp

Harry Redknapp has warned Croatia
that Wales' Gareth Bale is in the class
of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel
Messi.
Wales visit Croatia in Tuesday's World
Cup qualifier and Bale's ex-club boss
insists the Tottenham man is the "full
package" and would "improve any
team".
Bale inspired Wales to a first win of 2012
with two goals to beat Scotland.
"He's an amazing talent and he's after
the Ronaldos and Messis of this world
and he's getting better and better,"
Redknapp told BBC Radio Wales Sport.
"He's almost unplayable when he's on
his game. He is a genuine world-class
player.
"There's nobody he couldn't play for.
He'd improve any team."
Winger Bale, whose Tottenham contract
runs until 2015, has scored all of Wales'
three goals in 2012 and the 23-year-
old's match-winning performance
against Scotland earned Chris Coleman
a first win as Wales manager.
"It was amazing how he turned the
game around," continued Redknapp.
"With 10 minutes to go you're looking
for somebody who can do something
special and Gareth can do something
special.
"He can do everything and could play
anywhere. He's the full package.
"He can head it, he can dribble, he can
shoot, he's got a great physique, he's
an amazing athlete, he can score with
both feet - there are no weaknesses in
his game.
"He is already at the top but any team
in the world would love to have Gareth
Bale playing for them.
"And he is a great lad as well with a
good family behind him. It couldn't
happen to a nicer lad."
Redknapp managed Bale, who was
named Professional Footballers'
Association Players' Player of the Year in
2010-11, during his four years at
Tottenham.
And he was his boss when Bale shot to
international prominence with his first
hat-trick in Spurs' Champions League
defeat at Inter Milan in 2010.
"It was a great performance the other
night," said Redknapp.
"The one in Milan when we had 10
men, to do what he did to Maicon who,
at the time, was rated as the best right-
back in the world, that really destroyed
his career almost. It was amazing."
Former Wales player Mickey Thomas
feels Ronaldo's Real Madrid and Messi's
Barcelona will soon be "fighting for
Bale's signature".
"It's probably the best I've seen [from a
Wales player]," said Thomas.
"I played with some great players in my
career but, watching that performance,
not just his goals - his ability to create
opportunities for his team-mates - and
when he's in that mood and when he's
in that stride, he is unstoppable.
"I've seen the best. I've seen Ronaldo;
I've seen them all. He's on a par with
them now.
"The only difference is they play for
Barcelona with players like Messi. He's
at Tottenham.
"Let me tell you, he will be at one of
those clubs before too long. Those top
teams - Barcelona and Real Madrid - will
be fighting for his signature, for sure."