Xabi Alonso biography: Spanish football player

Xabi Alonso biography

Spanish football player

(born 25 November 1981 in Tolosa, Spain)

Senior clubs1
Club App (Gls)
Real Sociedad 116 (9)
SD Eibar (loan) 014 (0)
Liverpool 90 (8)
Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 6 March 2007.
National team caps and goals correct
as of 15 November 2006.

Career honours
2004-05 UEFA Champions League
2005-06 European Super Cup
2005-06 FA Cup
2006-07 Community Shield

Basque footballer who currently plays for Liverpool in England. He wears a number 14 shirt at Liverpool and is a central midfielder, often playing as a deep lying playmaker. Alonso has a reputation for scoring spectacular long range goals, scoring two long range efforts against Luton Town in the FA Cup 3rd round, January 2006, one of those being shot from inside Liverpool's own half. Liverpool eventually won the game 5 - 3, having been 3-1 down at one point in an entertaining FA Cup classic tie. Alonso also struck from inside Liverpool's half as he scored the 2nd goal in 2-0 victory against Newcastle on 20 September 2006.

He was signed by Rafael Benítez, a then newly appointed manager of Liverpool, from Real Sociedad for a fee of £10.5m. Alonso is considered by many to be one of the best midfielders in European football and has played for Spain at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup.

Playing career

Growing up
Alonso was born in a famous footballing family. His father 'Periko' Alonso was a star for Barcelona in the 80s after winning two league titles with Real Sociedad. Xabi's brother, fellow midfielder Mikel Alonso, continues the family tradition at the latter club. He also has another brother named Jon who is a referee.

Alonso came through the youth ranks at Real Sociedad and made his debut for the San Sebastian outfit in the 1999–00 season. His first match was against Logroñes on 1 December 1999 in a Copa del Rey game. He made 14 further appearances that season.

Real Sociedad
The following season, in 2000–01, Alonso spent the first part of the campaign on loan at SD Eibar before returning to Real Sociedad later that season to break into the first team. He would come to prominence as a key performer in Real Sociedad's second-place La Liga finish (behind Real Madrid) in the 2002–03 footballing season. He scored 3 goals in 33 games.

Alonso was called up to the Spanish national team for the first time in 2003 and made his debut on April 30, 2003 at the age of 21 in a 4-0 friendly win over Ecuador.

Liverpool
Alonso arrived at Liverpool from Real Sociedad in August 2004. He made his Premiership debut for the Merseysiders against Bolton Wanderers at The Reebok Stadium on 29 August 2004, a game that Liverpool lost 1-0. His first goal for Liverpool came from a free kick against Fulham on 16 October 2004. Liverpool were losing 2-0 at half time, but Alonso's arrival as a sub inspired a revival and an eventual 4-2 win.

Although a newcomer to the English league, Alonso impressed with his vision and exceptional range of passing. After an initial settling in period, he established himself as one of the mainstays of Liverpool's midfield. He became a permanent fixture of Benitez' sides and endeared many fans with long range passing ability and deft touches to open opposition teams up. These, coupled with his steady composure and the ability to shoot with confidence, qualify him as one of the best in Europe to play in the central midfield role.

After breaking his ankle following a tackle from Frank Lampard in Liverpool's 1 - 0 defeat to Chelsea on New Year's Day 2005, Alonso was ruled out of action for more than three months. He made his return earlier than expected in a second leg of a Champions League quarter final against Juventus. In the absence of skipper Steven Gerrard through injury, Alonso played for all 90 minutes, as Liverpool gained an improbable 0 - 0 draw in Italy to defeat eventual Italian Champions on aggregate. Gerrard would later repay the favour to Alonso in the very next round, when Alonso was suspended from the second leg of the semi final against Chelsea. Gerrard steered Liverpool to a 1 - 0 win with the help of a Luis García goal, putting Liverpool in the final against A.C. Milan.

In the Champions League final, Alonso played a crucial role as Liverpool completed an incredible comeback from 3 - 0 down at half time to level the scores at 3 - 3. At 3-2, Liverpool were awarded a penalty, which Alonso stepped up to take. While Dida, Milan's Brazilian goalkeeper, managed to save the penalty, Alonso fired the rebound into the roof of the net, making it 3-3. Liverpool went on to win the European Cup on penalties, capping off a very successful first year for Xabi Alonso in England.

On 7 January 2006, in a thrilling FA Cup third round tie against Luton Town, Alonso assisted Liverpool to a 5-3 comeback victory after being down 3-1 early in the second half, by scoring two amazing goals: one from 40 yards, and the other from well inside his own half (65 yards from goal), as the opposition keeper had gone to the Liverpool penalty area to attack a corner kick. Astonishingly, it later transpired a Liverpool fan had earlier placed a £200 bet on Alonso scoring from within his own half at some point in the 2005-06 season, and won £25,000 as a result.

During a 3-1 victory over Portsmouth on 7 May 2006, Alonso suffered a injury to his ankle in the 41st minute, which put his participation in the FA Cup Final in doubt. He recovered sufficiently to start the game, and, despite having to be taken off during the second half, he ended the day with a winners' medal.

Alonso was named in the Spanish squad for the 2006 World Cup. He scored Spain's first World Cup 2006 goal against Ukraine on 14 June 2006.

On 20 September 2006 Alonso scored what the BBC described as, an outrageous strike, from his own half against Newcastle in a midweek Premiership fixture. In an interview on Sky News television, Alonso claimed he practises such long range goals in training. Both goals were very similar, struck from inside his own half, but Alonso was in no doubt which was the best. He said, "Yes, I think this was better. The Luton goal bounced a few times, this one went quite straight. The Luton one was left footed, it was different, but I am quite happy to score the goal." It was his first goal for Liverpool since the goal against Luton, making him the only outfield player in the modern professional game to ever score two consecutive goals from inside his own half of the pitch. Liverpool went on to win the game 2 - 0.

Personal
Xabi Alonso and Everton player Mikel Arteta were neighbours on the same street while growing up in San Sebastián and now live next door to each other in Liverpool.
Alonso helped persuade former Real Sociedad team mate Juan Ugarte to make a move to Wales by joining Wrexham in 2004.
He is dating childhood sweetheart Nagore.
In a national poll, he was voted the 35th best foreign player ever to play in the Premiership.

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