_(cropped).jpg) Alonso in 2018 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Xabier Alonso Olano[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 25 November 1981[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Tolosa, Spain[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Bayer Leverkusen (head coach) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1999 | Antiguoko | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Real Sociedad B | 39 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2004 | Real Sociedad | 114 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | → Eibar (loan) | 14 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2009 | Liverpool | 143 | (15) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2014 | Real Madrid | 158 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2017 | Bayern Munich | 79 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 547 | (35) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Spain U18 | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2003 | Spain U21 | 9 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2012 | Basque Country | 5 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2014 | Spain | 114 | (16) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2022 | Real Sociedad B | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022– | Bayer Leverkusen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Xabier Alonso Olano (Basque: [ˈʃaβi aˈlons̺o oˈlano], Spanish: [ˈʃaβj aˈlonso oˈlano]; born 25 November 1981) is a Spanish professional football manager and former player who is currently the head coach of Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen. He is regarded as one of the best midfielders of his generation and is known for his exceptional passing range.[3][4][5][6] Alonso is also considered to be one of the best young managers in the world.[7][8][9]
Alonso began his career at Real Sociedad, the main team of his home province Gipuzkoa. After a brief loan period at Eibar, he was appointed as team captain of Real Sociedad and finished runner-up in La Liga in 2002–03 season. He moved to Liverpool in 2004 for £10.5 million and won the UEFA Champions League in his first season, scoring in the Final. He later won the FA Cup and the FA Community Shield. Alonso moved to Real Madrid in 2009 in a deal worth £30 million and won La Liga, two Copas del Rey, and another Champions League. He joined German club Bayern Munich in 2015 and won three Bundesliga titles, including a domestic double in his second season, and retired in 2017.[10]
He made his international debut for Spain in April 2003 and went onto win Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup, and Euro 2012. He also represented Spain at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup. On 23 June 2012, Alonso won his 100th cap for Spain in the quarter-final of Euro 2012 against France, where he scored both goals in a victory. Alonso retired from international football after the 2014 World Cup. His 114 appearances make him the eighth-most capped player in Spain's history.
Alonso coached Real Madrid's U14 team before being appointed as manager of Real Sociedad B in 2019, where he won promotion to the Segunda División in his second season. Alonso was named head coach of Bayer Leverkusen in 2022 and completed an unprecedented unbeaten domestic double in 2024, winning the club's first Bundesliga title and first DFB Pokal since 1993.
- ^ a b "FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010: List of Players" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). 4 June 2010. p. 29. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 June 2010. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
- ^ a b "Xabi Alonso: Player Profile". Liverpool F.C. Archived from the original on 2 January 2009. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
bundesliga.com_1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Jonathan Smith (10 March 2017). "Bayern Munich's Xabi Alonso will make a good manager - Pep Guardiola". ESPN FC. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
- ^ Momblano, Luca (22 October 2014). "Xabi Alonso erede totale di Pep Guardiola" (in Italian). Sportreview. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- ^ "Gerrard picks Alonso as best midfield partner, claiming: 'I've missed him'". hitc.com. 2014.
- ^ Bell, Graeme (17 February 2024). "Top 10 young football managers in the world". givemesport.com. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
- ^ Karlsen, Tor-Kristian (19 October 2023). "Seven top young coaches to watch in European football". ESPN. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
- ^ "Klopp: Alonso 'standout' coach of new generation". 17 February 2024.
- ^ "Champions League 100 club: Xabi Alonso". UEFA.com. 14 May 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2019.