Xabi Alonso is widely regarded as one of the finest midfielders of his generation, known for his exceptional passing ability, positional awareness, and leadership on the field. At club level he excelled for Real Sociedad, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich amassing a trophy cabinet only some players could dream of. Alonso has won two European Cups and league titles in Spain and Germany. It is however his time with the Spanish national team where he will be most remembered for. Alonso was part of the golden generation with Spain, where he was instrumental in winning the 2010 World Cup and back to back European Championships in 2008 and 2012. Alonso has also swiftly established himself as a world class coach, notably guiding Real Sociedad B to promotion and later winning the Bundesliga and German Cup with Bayer Leverkusen. His appointment as Real Madrid’s head coach in 2025 is seen as a continuation of his footballing philosophy and leadership qualities.