7 players who came out of retirement as Ryan Reynolds tries to tempt Gareth Bale to Wrexham

Wrexham’s promotion to the EFL has seen them linked with a number of big names, and none have been bigger than that of Gareth Bale.

The Welsh international confirmed his retirement from football in January, having led his country to the World Cup. Now, though, Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have tried to talk the 33-year-old into one final season

After Bale responded to McElhenney’s cheeky plea, Reynolds made a pledge to the former Real Madrid star. “I will shave a professional-grade golf course into Rob’s back if you’ll give Wrexham a season,” the Canadian-American actor tweeted, later adding “Update: after an online image search, it appears Rob does not have the requisite body hair to support this plan.”

If Bale is tempted to come out of retirement, he wouldn’t be the first big name to do so – or even the first to do so for Wrexham. Here, Mirror Football looks at a few other examples.

Paul Scholes

After winning countless trophies with Manchester United, England midfielder Scholes called it a day in 2011. “This was not a decision I have taken lightly but I feel now is the right time for me to stop playing,” he said at the time.

The following season, though, he spoke to Sir Alex Ferguson – a man who he personally thanked in his retirement announcement – and rejoined United’s squad. He wasn’t quite able to help them pip Manchester City to the 2011-12 title, but he played a part the following season, also Ferguson’s last at the helm.