In the world of football, there is not much elegance, but today we will talk about a footballer who seemed to play with his suit. His way of hitting the ball was incredible, and his long passes sounded like heavenly music to the forwards. Xabi Alonso he was the conductor of the best teams in Europe, and thanks to his vision of the game, he became the outstanding student of the best technicians in the world. Guardiola, Mourinho, and Ancelotti trusted their teams' style on their boots, and the Basque midfielder became a tactical leader from the midfielder's position.
The World Champions star was embroidered on his chest, and inside his head are hidden all the styles of one of the great coaches of the future. Get elegant because you are about to relive the Legend of the Master of Tolosa. The story of Xabi Alonso.
The Beginnings of Xabi Alonso
Xabier Alonso Olano was born on November 25, 1981, in Tolosa, Guipúzcoa. Son of the former Barça footballer Periko Alonso, Xabi grew up in a family dedicated to football, so although he was born in the north, he lived his first years of life in Barcelona
From an early age, Xabi showed a great interest in sports, and together with his older brother Mikel, he grew up playing ball on La Concha beach. In those arenas, he established a great friendship with Mikel Arteta, who, together with the two Alonso, began his football journey at the academy Antiguoko. The three stood out as great footballers, and years later, they found accommodation in two of the best youth teams in Spanish football. Arteta signed for Barça, while Xabi and Mikel ended up at Real Sociedad.
Debut and loan to Eibar
Despite being a year and a half younger than his brother, Xabi had greater progression in Zubieta and managed to debut in the first team in 1999. Javier Clemente he made his debut in the Cup at the age of 18, although after that debut, he returned to the ranks of the second team. Xabi needed to gain experience before playing in the First Division, so his father and the club agreed to a loan with Eibar to gain experience.
Return of Champions
Alonso trained on the second division fields for five months, but his performance was so good that Real wanted to recover it in the 2001 winter market. At the request of JBThosack, Xabi returned to Real, where he earned a place in the team and ended up becoming the undisputed starter. His impact on the team was immediate, taking Real out of the relegation zone and establishing himself as one of the best midfielders in Spain.
His definitive explosion came in 2002-2003, where Xabi led a great team that was about to take the League from him, Real Madrid of the Galacticos. La Real was second, just one point behind the whites and next to Karpin, Nihat or Kovacevic, completed an unforgettable season.
Alonso's great campaign allowed him to make his debut with the Spanish team and, despite Real Madrid's interest in signing him, Xabi stayed one more season to play in the Champions League with his home team. The team txuri urdin they only lost one game in the group stage and, after qualifying as second, they ended up eliminated by Olympique Lyon in the round of 16.
Euro 2004
After another great campaign at Real, Xabi Alonso was called up to play in the Euro 2004. The Tolosa native was one of Iñaki Saéz's favorite alternatives, and after playing a few minutes in the victory against Russia, he started the decisive match against Portugal. The draw was enough for Spain to eliminate the hosts, but the Portuguese ended up taking the victory and throwing La Roja out of the Euro.
Champions Champion with Liverpool
In that same summer, Liverpool Rafa Benitez he made an offer for him, and Real accepted a transfer of 12 million euros. After four seasons in Anoeta, Alonso went to the Premier League and left the club of his life after playing 124 games and scoring 10 goals with the blue and white shirt.
Xabi arrived at a legendary club where he fit like a glove, and his hunger for titles permeated a team with more effort than talent. Liverpool's career in the Premier was irregular, but their time in the Champions League ended up being brilliant. After overcoming the first phase with difficulty, the English reached the final of the European Cup, and on May 25, 2005, they played a final in history in Istanbul.
The "Miracle of Istanbul"
Milan got the final back on track with a 3-0 lead at half-time, but in 6 minutes of madness and courage, Liverpool managed to tie the game. Alonso had a spectacular second half and scored from a penalty to make it 3-3 in extra time. Liverpool ended up winning the penalty shootout, and Xabi won his first Champions League at just 23 years old.
FA Cup and World Cup 2006
After that feat, Liverpool lifted the European Super Cup, and Alonso established himself as a starter in the team. The Basque midfielder brought out his great ball striking and, with incredible goals from his own field, led Liverpool to the FA Cup final. In another frenetic match, the Reds tied 3-3 against West Ham, and after winning the penalty shootout, they ended up taking the title.
Despite not winning more titles, Xabi became a fixture for the midfield of the Spanish team, with which he went to the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Luis Aragonés opted for him from the first game, and the Tolosa native responded by scoring the first goal of Spain's debut against Ukraine. La Roja won 4-0 with a great game and an impeccable first phase. They faced France in the round of 16. The Spanish team threatened to retire Zidane, but France ended up overcoming Villa's goal to end Alonso's World Cup dream.
Champions Final 2007
The Spanish midfielder returned to the islands in top form and, after winning the Community Shield, scored one of the best of his career against Newcastle. Xabi Alonso's distant shots became the terror of the goalkeepers, and Liverpool regained its prestige in Europe. BenÃtez's men completed another great season in the Champions League, and after leaving Barça, PSV, and Chelsea in the gutter, they repeated as finalists against their last execution
The 2007 Champions League final between the Reds and Milan it was played in Athens, although this time it ended with a Rossonera victory. The Italians got the title back on track with a double Pippo Inzaghi, and, despite Kuyt's goal, Liverpool could not repeat the Miracle.
Euro 2008
In 2007-2008, Alonso renewed his contract with Liverpool and played 100 games with the red shirt. That campaign he did not win any title, but he went with Spain to the Euro 2008. The presence of Xavi, Iniesta o Silva, did not allow him to start, although he contributed good minutes in Spain's six games in the tournament. The Basque midfielder was the MVP against Greece in his only starting match and finished one of the fundamental pieces for La Roja to lift the title. Spain beat Germany 1-0 in the final, and Torres' goal began the era of Tiki-Taka.
Goodbye to Liverpool
That summer of 2008, Rafa BenÃtez tried to sign Gareth Barry in the summer market, and his relationship with Alonso ended up deteriorating. The midfielder was close to leaving for Juventus, but ultimately, both he and Barry stayed where they were. Despite transfer rumors, Xabi once again led Liverpool's midfield, and the Reds were fighting for the title until the last few days. Finally, the Premier went to Manchester United, and those from Anfield closed their third consecutive season without major titles.
Signing for Real Madrid (2009)
Rumors of Alonso's departure were activated again, and Real Madrid ran as the main candidate to sign him. Florentino Perez he returned to the presidency of the white team ready to strengthen the team, and Xabi was a fundamental piece for his team second Galactic project.
On this occasion BenÃtez was not willing to transfer him, but the player communicated his desire to leave, taking advantage of him. Transfer requests. The agreement took a while to close, but finally, Real Madrid and Liverpool agreed to the transfer 35 million euros. Xabi left Anfield after 5 seasons, playing 210 games and scoring 18 goals with the red shirt.
Alonso went on to share a dressing room with Benzema, Kaka, and Cristiano Ronaldo, and I would try to counteract to the best Barça in history. Xabi became the compass of Pellegrini's team, but despite his great performance, he finished the season without titles.
World Cup South Africa 2010
After a difficult season, Xabi would set his mind on the Spanish team, where, with the arrival of Del Bosque, he became the undisputed starter. The Spanish coach opted for a double pivot formed by Alonso, and Busquets and Spain went to South Africa to conquer the world. The defeat against Switzerland put Xabi's ownership into discussion, but after the victories against Honduras and Chile, it became essential. Against Paraguay, they made him repeat a penalty that he missed in the second instance, but thanks to the goals of Villa and Puyol, La Roja reached its first World Cup final
The Dutch fought with kicks, and Xabi took the brunt after a shot from De Jong that could have broken his chest. Luckily, Alonso was able to continue playing and played for 87 minutes to make way for Cesc FÃ bregas. The final ended up being resolved in extra time, and the goal Iniesta it gave Spanish football the first star in its history.
The League of Records
With the arrival of Mourinho to Real Madrid, Alonso earned many more stripes and would be a fundamental piece in trying to stop Messi. The white team broke its title drought after winning the 2011 Copa del Rey against Barcelona and, just a year later, beat the culés to take the League with a record of 100 points and 121 goals. Mourinho's team was close to winning the Champions League, but after reaching three consecutive semi-finals, they ended up kneeling.
Euro 2012
Xabi's play also grew in the national team, with which he had his best performance at Euro 2012. The San Sebastian native started all 6 games in Spain and was the MVP of the quarterfinal match after scoring the two winning goals against France. Tiki Taka experienced its peak in the final against Italy, and Spain became the first team to chain two European Championships and a World Cup in a row.
The Tenth
After Mourinho's stormy departure, Ancelotti he arrived at the White House, and Alonso would continue to be the axis of the Madrid midfield. The fans were obsessed with winning back the European Cup, and after a great season, Madrid qualified for the final after beating Guardiola's Bayern. The white team beat the Bavarians 0-4, but Xabi was upset at the night after seeing a yellow card that prevented him from playing in the final in Lisbon.
The Tolosarra had to watch the match against Atlético de Madrid from the box, where he lived goal by Sergio Ramos, and he exploded with joy by jumping onto the field after the white comeback. Real Madrid conquered the Tenth Champions League from his history, and Alonso achieved the second ear of his career.
World Cup Brazil 2014
Xabi faced the summer wanting to play in his last World Cup, but Spain suffered a major setback after losing 5-1 to the Netherlands. The defeat against Chile eliminated the World Champions, and Alonso decided to announce his retirement from the national team. After 114 internationals, 16 goals, and playing in 3 European Championships and 3 World Cups, the Tolosa midfielder hung up his red shirt like a Legend of Spanish football.
Retirement at Bayern
At almost 33 years old, Xabi Alonso looked to the future, and his tactical concerns made him head towards Germany. Guardiola wanted him at Bayern, and the player left Madrid in the last days of the market. The Basque midfielder left the White House for 10 million euros, and after 6 seasons, 236 games played, 6 goals, and 32 assists, he embarked on a new adventure abroad.
From day one, Alonso established himself as the undisputed starter, and in his three years in Munich, he demonstrated all his talent. At Bayern, he won 3 Bundesligas, 1 Cup, and 1 German Super Cup, although he was on the verge of another Champions League final after losing in the semifinals for 3 consecutive years.
In 2017, he announced his retirement from football, and at the age of 35, he said goodbye to the Bavarian fans after playing 117 games and scoring 9 goals over three seasons. In total, Alonso won 18 titles he scored 59 goals and played more than 825 games in his career total. He managed to make his debut in his home team and ended up directing the game of three giants of European football.
From Student to Teacher
After 18 years under the orders of the best coaches in the world, the student wanted to become a teacher and wanted to move his football from the grass to the bench. Xabi went through the Fábrica and Zubieta quarries, and after a single year managing Bayer Leverkusen, he has already become one of the most desired coaches in Europe.
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