According to reports from German weekly sports magazine Sport Bild, Bayern Munich midfielder and Spanish legend Xabi Alonso is planning to retire at the end of the season. Alonso, who still plays a key role for the Bavarian club in the center of the park, is said to have informed the club of his decision to hang up his boots at the conclusion of this season.
Alonso had previously signed a one-year contract extension to see him through the end of this season, and it’s also believed that Bayern manager Carlo Ancelotti is keen to convince the 35-year-old to continue.
Xabi Alonso will retire from football at the end of the season.
He will be missed. pic.twitter.com/eQZzjJ0qC7— Football Vines (@FootballVines) January 18, 2017
Alonso began his career with Real Sociedad as a native of the Basque Country in Spain. He then signed with Liverpool where he won the 2004-05 Champions League and 2005-06 FA Cup.
Before the start of the 2009 season, Real Madrid lured Alonso to the Santiago Bernabeu with a £30 million transfer. Alonso spent five seasons with Real while winning another Champions League crown (2013-14), La Liga (2011-12) and two Copa del Rey titles.
Alonso then joined Pep Guardiola, a huge admirer of the deep-lying playmaker, at Bayern Munich where he’s won the Bundesliga twice and the DFB-Pokal.
To add to his impeccable club CV, Alonso won 114 caps with Spain before retiring from international football after the 2014 World Cup. He played a massive role in the dominant Spanish side that claimed back-to-back European championships and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Having played under the likes of Rafa Benitez, Jose Mourinho, Guardiola and Ancelotti, Alonso would make one hell of a managerial candidate.
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