Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale, the most expensive footballer in the world, was smiling broadly. Both his palms were drawn together in the shape of a heart around the club symbol on the left breast of his shirt. Beside him were the words "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2014" to complement the image.

That was not a description of an on-field pose. Bale's appearance in the holiday greeting was posted on www.duniabola.net, one of the football gamb