Xabi Alonso confirmed today that he will retire at the end of the season. The 35 year old is on course to finish his career at Bayern Munich with a third Bundesliga winners medal at the very least to add to his impressive haul of honours.
The Spaniard started his professional career with Real Sociedad and had already received his first international cap by the time he moved to Liverpool in 2004. It didn't take long for Liverpool fans to realise how good he was and he played a major role in their Champions League success in 2005, scoring in the final against AC Milan.
Liverpool fans would love to have a player like Alonso in their team right now because he had the ability the run a game from that deep role in midfield. He was never the quickest player but he always had time on the ball as all the best players do. His range of passing meant he could ping a ball like a quarterback and launch an attack in a flash. He was also very effective in the air, had a great set piece delivery and could also score from his own half:
When Liverpool were at their best under Rafael Benitez they had a great spine to the team with Pepe Reina, Jamie Carragher, Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano, Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. The Reds won a Champions League title and FA Cup during Alonso's five years at the club but they came up just short in the Premier League in 2009 and Alonso left the club that summer.
Alonso has since revealed that Benitez wanted to get rid of him a year before his move to Real Madrid. Benitez needed money to bring in other players including Gareth Barry, as a replacement for Alonso. It's probably the only time you'll see Xabi Alonso and Gareth Barry mentioned in the same sentence when talking about football.
However most people feel things were never the same between Alonso and Benitez after Alonso refused to travel to Milan for the second leg of a Champions League tie against Inter because his girlfriend had gone into labour.
Liverpool didn't have the same control in midfield after the Spaniard joined Real Madrid for £30 million eight years ago. Alonso won another Champions League title with Real in 2014 although sadly he missed the final against Atletico Madrid due to suspension. He was also part of Jose Mourinho's La Liga title winning team in 2011-12.
I haven't even mentioned his international career. Alonso was part of Spain's greatest ever team that won a World Cup in 2010 and the European Championships in 2008 and 2012.
This is how Alonso announced the news today.
Lived it. Loved it.
Farewell beautiful game. pic.twitter.com/1aSN7GGNzZ
— Xabi Alonso (@XabiAlonso) March 9, 2017
