Liverpool FC player profile - Xabi Alonso

Xabier Alonso Olano, better known as Liverpool FC and Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso, was born on 25th November 1981 in a the town of Tolosa in the Basque Region of Spain. Xabi Alonso had a great footballing pedigree, his father won the Spanish league as a player for both Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona and his brother is also a professional player. Xabi Alonso showed a flair for football too and as a youngster worked his way through the youth teams at Real Sociedad where he signed his first professional contract in 1999. His professional debut came in a Copa del Rey match against Logrones in December 1999, he then went on to make 13 more appearances for Real Sociedad during the 1999/00 season. The following season 2000/01 saw Xabi Alonso initially loaned out to Spanish side SD Eibar before returning to Real Sociedad partway through the campaign, when he cemented his position in their first team. In 2002/03 Xabi Alonso proved to be an integral part of Real Sociedad's team that finished in a very respectable second place in La Liga behind Real Madrid, 2003 was also the year that Xabi Alonso broke into the national squad debuting in a 4-0 win against Ecuador.

Xabi Alonso made 94 appearances for Real Sociedad and scored 9 goals up until August 2004 when he left the Spanish side and signed for one of England's most successful teams, Liverpool FC. It wasn't long before Xabi Alonso made his Premiership debut appearing for Liverpool FC for the first time on 29th April 2004 against Bolton Wanderers, his first goal for Liverpool FC came 7 weeks later in a Premiership match against Fulham. On New Years Day 2005, in a match against Chelsea, Xabi Alonso came out of a tackle with Frank Lampard with a broken ankle which put him out of action for a few months. He returned for the Champions League quarter final second leg against Juventus, Liverpool FC drew 0-0 but went through on aggregate, and then the first leg of the Semi-final against Chelsea. After serving a suspension for the second leg of the Chelsea semi final Xabi Alonso was back for the final against AC Milan and scored a second half penalty in the classic 3-3 draw. Liverpool FC went on to win the match on penalties and Xabi Alonso secured his first trophy win with them in his first season. His first domestic medal came when Liverpool FC won the 2006 FA Cup final against West Ham United, Xabi Alonso had been instrumental in the overall campaign but was substituted partway through the second half of the final due to a reoccurrence of a recent injury. Later in 2006 Xabi Alonso was selected for Spain's squad for the Germany 06 World Cup finals. He scored his first international goal in Spain's first match against Ukraine and despite Spain winning their first round group they were knocked out by France in the round of 16.