Xabier "Xabi" Alonso Olano ( born 25 November 1981) is a Spanishfootballer who plays for German club FC Bayern Munich as a central midfielder.
Alonso began his career at Real Sociedad, the main team of his home province San Sebastián. After a brief loan period at SD Eibar, he returned to Sociedad where then-manager John Toshack appointed Alonso as his team captain. Alonso succeeded in the role, taking Real Sociedad to second place in the 2002–03 season. He moved to Liverpool in August 2004 for £10.5 million on the same day as Spanish forward Luis Garcia. He won the UEFA Champions League in his first season at the club, under Rafael Benitez, scoring the equalising goal in the Final against A.C. Milan. The following season, he won the FA Cup and the FA Community Shield. He moved to Real Madrid for the start of the 2009–10 season in a deal worth around £30 million. After five seasons at the club, winning honours including a league title in 2012 and the Champions League in 2014, he was signed by Bayern Munich on a two-year contract.
He made his international debut for Spain in April 2003 in a 4–0 victory against Ecuador. While playing for Spain, Alonso has wonEuro 2008, Euro 2012 and the 2010 World Cup, and he has also represented his country 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: he celebrated the occasion by scoring both of Spain's goals to send them into the semi-finals. Following Spain's failure to progress out of the group stages at the2014 World Cup, Alonso retired from international football on 27 August 2014. His 114 caps make him the fifth most capped player in the nation's history.
THROWBACKTHISDAY; makes it 34 years and TBT Blog wishes him a happy birthday.
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