England boss hails Spurs winger as the best player in the world

Capello believes that only Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos comes close to the 21-year-old.

“Bale today is the No 1 in the world, the only one who can make the difference in that role because he has speed, technique and power – qualities which are difficult to find in a striker who is not an attacker,” Capello told The Mirror.

“Bale does not start from the back, like a full-back, but pushes forward from midfield and when he is close to goal, he moves to the centre and shoots with extraordinary precision.

“On the level of power, I think of Roberto Carlos, who was born as a full-back and then matured, physically and tactically. An explosive player – the only one who got close to Bale.”