Xabi Alonso

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Xabi Alonso
Personal information
Full name Xabier Alonso Olano
Date of birth November 25, 1981 (age 25)
Place of birth Tolosa, Spain
Height 6'0" (183 cm)
Position Midfielder
Club information
Current club Liverpool
Number 14
Professional clubs*
Years Club Apps (goals)
1999-2004
2000-2001
2004-present		 Real Sociedad
→ SD Eibar (loan)
Liverpool		 116 (9)
014 (0)
072 (6)
National team**
2003-present Spain 033 (1)

* Professional club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 13:58, 9 December 2006 (UTC).
** National team caps and goals correct
as of 15 November 2006.

Xabier Alonso Olano, commonly known as Xabi Alonso (born 25 November 1981 in Tolosa, Spain), is a Spanish (Basque) footballer who currently plays his club football at Liverpool F.C. in England. He wears the number 14 shirt at Liverpool and is a central midfielder, often playing as a deep-lying playmaker. However, Alonso has a bit of a reputation for scoring spectacular long range goals, scoring 2 long range efforts against Luton Town in the FA Cup 3rd round, January 2006, including 1 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, the 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.

Contents

[edit] Playing career

[edit] Growing up

Alonso was born into a famous footballing family. His father 'Periko' Alonso was a star for FC 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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 substitute inspired a revival and an eventual 4-2 win.

Although a newcomer to the English league, Alonso has impressed with his vision and an exceptional range of passing. After an initial settling-in period, he established himself as one of the mainstays of Liverpool's midfield. He has become a permanent fixture of Benitez's sides and has endeared many fans with his 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 thanks to a careless challenge. He made his return earlier than expected in the second leg of the 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 the 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 acclaimed 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 F.A. 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 that 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.[1]

During a 3-1 victory over Portsmouth on 7 May 2006, Alonso suffered an 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 however, 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 (his first international 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.[2] In an interview on Sky News television Alonso claimed that 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 out-field player in the modern professional game to ever score two consecutive goals from inside his own half of the pitch.[citation needed] Liverpool went on to win the game 2-0.

[edit] Personal

He is close friends with arch-rivals Everton F.C. player Mikel Arteta. Incidentally, Xabi Alonso and Arteta were neighbours on the same street while growing up in San Sebastián and live next door to each other in Liverpool[3] [4].

He also helped persuade former Real Sociedad team mate Juan Ugarte to make a move to England by joining Wrexham in 2004.

He is dating childhood sweetheart Nagore.

[edit] Statistics

Club Performance
Club Season Premiership FA Cup League Cup Europe Others Total
App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals
Liverpool FC 2006-07 4 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 8 1
2005-06 35 3 5 2 0 0 11 0 2 0 53 5
2004-05 24 2 0 0 0 0 8 1 0 0 32 3
Total 63 6 5 2 0 0 22 1 3 0 102 9
Club Season La Liga Spanish Cup - Europe Others Total
App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals
Real Sociedad 2003-04 35 3 0 0 - - 8 1 0 0 43 4
2002-03 33 3 1 0 - - 0 0 0 0 34 3
2001-02 30 3 0 0 - - 0 0 0 0 30 3
Eibar (Loan) 2000-01 14 0 0 0 - - 0 0 0 0 14 0
Real Sociedad 2000-01 18 0 0 0 - - 0 0 0 0 18 0
1999-00 0 0 1 0 - - 0 0 0 0 1 0
Sociedad Total 116 9 2 0 0 0 8 1 0 0 126 10
Overall Total 183 15 7 2 0 0 29 2 3 0 233 19

[edit] Career honours

[edit] References

  1. ^ Fan makes £25,000 on dream goal. Retrieved on 21 September 2006.
  2. ^ Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle. Retrieved on 20 September 2006.
  3. ^ Arteta Aims To Reign For Spain. Retrieved on 28 November 2006.
  4. ^ Arteta puts friendship on hold as Everton eye Europe. Retrieved on 28 November 2006.

[edit] External links

Spain Spain squad - 2006 FIFA World Cup Spain

1 Casillas | 2 Salgado | 3 Pernía | 4 Marchena | 5 Puyol | 6 Albelda | 7 Raúl | 8 Xavi | 9 Torres | 10 Reyes | 11 García | 12 López | 13 Iniesta | 14 Alonso | 15 Ramos | 16 Senna | 17 Joaquín | 18 Fàbregas | 19 Cañizares | 20 Juanito | 21 Villa | 22 Pablo | 23 Reina | Coach: Aragonés
Liverpool F.C. - Current Squad

1 Dudek | 3 Finnan | 4 Hyypiä | 5 Agger | 6 Riise | 7 Kewell | 8 Gerrard | 9 Fowler | 10 Luis García | 11 Mark González | 12 Fábio Aurélio | 14 Xabi Alonso | 15 Crouch | 16 Pennant | 17 Bellamy | 18 Kuyt | 22 Sissoko | 23 Carragher | 25 Reina | 26 Anderson | 28 Warnock | 29 Paletta | 32 Zenden | 34 Miki Roque | 35 Guthrie | 36 Hammill | 37 Peltier | 38 Lindfield | 39 Darby | 40 Martin | 42 El Zhar | 45 Smith | Manager: Benítez
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