The former Spanish midfielder, Xabi Alonso, is one of the most decorated players of all time. He was widely known for his exceptional passing accuracy, vision, and tactical intelligence on the field. Starting at Real Sociedad, Xabi Alonso has played under some great managers such as Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, and Pep Guardiola, all of whom have used him in different styles of play.
Xabi Alonso has won numerous trophies in his football career such as FIFA World Cup and Champions League. After retirement, Xabi Alonso transitioned into coaching and is currently the manager of Bayern Leverkusen.
This article delves into the key aspects of the Spanish talent’s life, exploring his early years, family background, net worth, career, and more.
| Full Name | Xabier Alonso Olano |
| Age | 42 |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Birthplace | Tolosa, Spain |
| Date of Birth | 25 November 1981 |
| Height | 6 ft 0 inches (1.83 m) |
| Star Sign | Sagittarius |
| Position | Midfielder |
| Clubs | Real Sociedad, Eibar, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich |
| Net Worth | $20 million |
Xabi Alonso | Early Life and Family
Xabi Alonso was born on November 25, 1981, in Tolosa, in the northern region of Spain. Alonso was born into a football-oriented family. His father, Periko Alonso, was also a successful footballer who was a part of Real Sociedad and had won the LA Liga three times in his career. After 6 years living in Barcelona, Xabi, along with his family, went to San Sebastien (Donostia), where he met Mikel Arteta. He used to play football with his friend Mikel Arteta and with his elder brother Mikel. Following in the footsteps of his elder brother, Xabi joined the local youth club, Antiguoko. Xabi’s exceptional ability with the ball and his prowess in distributing to the ends of the field caught the attention of the Real Sociedad scouts. And in 1999, he was bought by the Spanish club. He soon started for the Real Sociedad B team and honed his skills.
Xabi Alonso’s parents are Periko Alonso and Isabel Olano. Xabi also has two siblings, his elder brother Mikel, who is also a professional footballer, and a younger brother, Jon Alonso, who is now a professional referee. Xabi is happily married to Nagore Aranburu and they have two beautiful children together.
Xabi Alonso | Club Career
Real Sociedad
Alonso made his first appearance for the Real Sociedad senior team in December 1999, when they played against Logroñes in the Copa Del Rey. He was loaned to Eibar for 6 months in the next season to gain valuable experience. However, he was recalled from the loan spell by the new manager. The coach wasted no time in handing him the captain’s armband. Xabi, at the tender age of 20, accomplished an impressive feat by being named one of the captains of Real Sociedad.
In the upcoming season, Xabi has successfully secured a regular spot on the team. In the 2002/03 season, he scored his first goal while playing for the club. He was an exceptional addition to the team and guided them to their most impressive league performance in almost sixty years. Real Sociedad achieved a remarkable feat by earning a place in the highly esteemed Champions League for the very first time. However, despite these accomplishments, it ultimately signaled the conclusion of his time at the club. Later on, Xabi Alonso joined Liverpool, an English team, for a significant fee of £10.7 million.
Liverpool
Liverpool’s manager, Rafael Benitez, placed his trust in him and soon gave him his debut. Xabi Alonso made his debut for the Premier League side as a substitute against Bolton Wanderers on August 29th, 2004. Xabi Alonso scored his first goal against Fulham in the same season
After being injured for three weeks, Xabi made a comeback in the Champions League match against Juventus. One of his most impressive games came in the final, where he scored the third goal for the Liverpool side, which eventually completed the comeback from 3-0 to 3-3. Xabi Alonso proved his worth as his immense contribution throughout the year helped Liverpool clinch the UEFA Champions League in 2005.
Xabi secured his first domestic silverware in his second season at the club, triumphing over West Ham in the FA Cup final. One of the most memorable moments of his Liverpool career was the incredible long-range goal against Newcastle United. Xabi had an impressive record during his time with the Reds, making 210 appearances and contributing 18 goals and 20 assists. In 2009, he left Liverpool and joined the Los Blancos.
Real Madrid
Xabi Alonso joined Spanish supergiant Real Madrid for a fee of 30 million euros. He was brought in by a team filled with stars like Iker Casillas, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, and many others. He was brought to the team along with other great players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, and Karim Benzema. From the start, he played a key role for Manuel Pellegrini’s side. He eventually scored his first goal for the club on February 21, 2010, converting from the spot. Real Madrid came in second with a club record point of 96.
Xabi didn’t have to wait long to win his first trophy with Real Madrid. Real Madrid emerged victorious in the Copa Del Rey tournament during the 2010/11 seasons. After a successful season, Alonso achieved a major milestone by winning his first League title with Real Madrid and reaching 100 appearances for the club.
Xabi spent five seasons at Real Madrid before making the move to Bayern Munich, a formidable team in Germany. Throughout his time at Real Madrid, he achieved great success, securing two Copa del Reys (2010/11, 2013/14), La Liga (2011/12), and the highly coveted Champions League in 2014. Alonso was also included in the FIFA FIFPro World XI in 2011 and 2012. He was also selected for the squad in the UEFA Champions League for the 2013–14 season.
Bayern Munich
Xabi Alonso made his move to Bayer Munich in 2014 for a fee of 20.7 million euros. He made his debut for the German side against Schalke 04 on September 4, 2014. His first goal for the club came against Werder Bremen in October 2014. He reached one of his biggest milestones as a player when he made his 100th Champions League appearance in 2015.
Alonso spent three years with the German team. During these years, Bayern Munich went on to dominate the league and the domestic cups but were unable to get close to international trophies. Despite signing a new contract with Bayer Munich in 2015, on March 9th, 2017, Xabi Alonso declared that he would be hanging his boots at the end of the season. Xabi Alonso made a total of 117 appearances for the club, scoring nine goals and providing 12 assists. He went down in history as one of the most decorated players of all time.
Xabi Alonso | Managerial Career
After announcing his retirement from football, Xabi Alonso returned as the coach of Real Madrid U-14 in 2018. On June 1st, 2019, Xabi got his first professional managerial contract from Real Sociedad B. After taking over the team, he completely transformed it. Real Sociedad B secured promotion to the second division for the first time since 1962. During his time as manager of Real Sociedad, Xabi won 40 matches and played 23 draws, losing only 35.
Furthermore, he made a shocking return to the German club Bayern Leverkusen in October 2022 and clearly made an instant impact. He brought the club from the bottom of the table to sixth place in that season. He remained the Bayer Leverkusen manager for the following season, creating history as the longest unbeaten streak a team achieved in Germany. The team went on to win the domestic double with a clean unbeaten record – achieving the Invincible tag. However, the only game the faltered in was the Europa league final, where they were blown by Atalanta – courtesy of an Ademola Lookman hattrick.
Xabi Alonso | International Career
Xabi Alonso showed great potential in his early years, earning a starting position for the Spain U-18 team and making significant contributions to the Spain U-21 squad. He made his debut for the Spain national team in 2003, playing against Ecuador on April 30th of that year. Xabi Alonso had to patiently wait for three years before finally scoring his first goal. This momentous occasion occurred during the 2006 World Cup match against Ukraine. In 2008, Alonso was selected for the Euro Cup following a solid performance in a Liverpool jersey. He started in four out of six matches. Spain emerged victorious in the Euro 2008 tournament.
Xabi was again named on the list of the Spain team for the 2010 World Cup, where he started every match in the tournament. His immense contribution in the midfield and Andres Iniesta’s goal in extra time helped Spain secure the FIFA World Cup in 2010. He remained a crucial player for Spain and was also a part of the Spain 2012 team, where he achieved the milestone of his 100th cap for Spain.
Even though Xabi Alonso was in his end days but was called for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Spain got eliminated in the group stage. Xabi announced his retirement from the national team in 2017. He had played a total of 117 matches for Spain, in which he scored 16 goals and provided nine assists.
Xabi Alonso | Records and Statistics
In his 17-year career, Xabi Alonso has been one of the best in his position and has been crucial for each team he played for. He has bagged many awards as an individual as well as at both the club and national levels. Xabi Alonso won the prestigious FIFA World Cup in 2010 and was also a part of the Real Madrid and Liverpool Champions League winning teams of 13/14 and 04/05, respectively.
Playing Career
| Team | Matches Played | Goals | Assist |
| Real Sociedad | 124 | 10 | 6 |
| Eibar | 8 | – | – |
| Liverpool | 210 | 18 | 20 |
| Real Madrid | 236 | 6 | 31 |
| Bayern Munich | 117 | 9 | 12 |
| Spain | 114 | 16 | 9 |
Managerial Career
| Team | Matches Played | Win | Draw | Loss |
| Real Sociedad B | 98 | 40 | 23 | 35 |
| Bayern Leverkusen | 91 | 61 | 19 | 11 |
Xabi Alonso | Net Worth
The Spanish international has had a very remarkable career as a player. He has played for historic clubs such as Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Bayer Munich and is currently the manager of the high-flying Bayern Leverkusen. As per reports, his net worth is around 60–80 million euros, and beside that, he earns 6 million euros as the manager of Bayern Leverkusen.
Xabi Alonso | Sponsorship and Endorsement
Xabi Alonso has shown exceptional skills both on and off the field. Throughout his soccer career, he has been linked to and secured lucrative partnerships with numerous leading brands. Addidas, the German sports brand, continues to dominate the industry, closely followed by the renowned luxury menswear brand Hugo Boss.
These are the well-known companies that have greatly influenced Xabi Alonso’s financial worth. In addition to these, he has secured partnerships with Nivea, Audi, Banco Santander, and Mahou San Miguel, a Spanish beer company.
Xabi Alonso | Philanthropic Activities
Xabi Alonso is widely admired for his performance on the field, but his impact off the field is equally cherished for his contributions to humanitarian causes. He has shown great dedication to philanthropic activities, offering support to disadvantaged communities and children through his involvement in various initiatives. In addition, he has also participated in numerous charity matches alongside other legendary players of the game.
Xabi Alonso | Cars and Tattoos
Xabi Alonso is one of the greatest midfield players, and his leadership is often reflected on the pitch. Off the field, Xabi Alonso enjoys the luxury and elegance of his own Audi S7. However, Xabi Alonso doesn’t seem like a person who is very fond of tattoos, so he tends to keep them simple and classic.
FAQs
| 1. How old is Xabi Alonso? |
| Xabi Alonso is 42 years old. |
| 2. Is Xabi Alonso married? |
| Xabi Alonso has been married to Nagore Aranburu since July 11, 2009. |
| 3. Which is Alonso’s favorite club? |
| Xabi Alonso’s favorite club is Liverpool. |
| 4. When did Xabi Alonso retire? |
| Xabi Alonso is married to Nagore Aranburu since July 11,2009. |
| Xabi Alonso hung up his boots on 9th March 2017. |
| Xabi Alonso is the manager of the German powerhouse Bayern Leverkusen. |
