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A Tribute to Xabi Alonso, his glorious career in quotes.
A Thread.
A Thread.
John Toshack, the coach who gave Alonso his Liga debut: "I don& #39;t remember a former youth team player causing such an impact at the club.
Everyone seems to play better when he is on the pitch."
Everyone seems to play better when he is on the pitch."
Former Spain coach Iñaki Sáez after Alonso& #39;s debut: "Alonso has fantastic ball distribution and sees football with extraordinary clarity."
Steven Gerrard: "It was clear he was royalty after our 1st training session together in Aug 2004. He was, by some distance, the best CM I ever played alongside. If I was going to become Liverpool manager one day I know who I& #39;d love to have as my assistant: Alonso or Carragher."
Jamie Carragher when asked for his best Liverpool team-mate apart from Gerrard and Luis Suárez: "The first one that springs to mind is Xabi Alonso. I was devastated when he left for Real Madrid."
Pepe Reina: "He is a quiet person and a lovely guy – a good team-mate. I don& #39;t need to talk about him as a player; people know how good he is. He has got everything. He is one of the most complete midfielders in the world."
John Arne Riise, Liverpool left-back from 2001–08: "The pass master. Nobody can pass the ball like him. I remember on his debut at Anfield, it probably took him about 39 minutes before he misplaced a pass. Unbelievable player."
Rafael Benítez, manager throughout Alonso& #39;s time at Anfield: "Xabi is very clever. He is good with long and short passes. He has more skill than strength and is intelligent."
José Mourinho: "Xabi Alonso is like a metronome, a player in the style of Xavi Hernández. I& #39;m sure that when he hangs his boots up he& #39;ll be a great coach. He reminds me of Pep Guardiola when he was a player: he already acts like a coach when he is on the field."
Carlo Ancelotti, Alonso& #39;s coach at Madrid in 2013/14: "Xabi Alonso holds the key to everything. He is a very important player in this team, he has exceptional experience and qualities. He has that rare ability to see what is going to happen before it does."
Vicente del Bosque, Spain coach when Alonso announced his international retirement in 2014: "It& #39;s very difficult to improve on what he has done. He leaves us with a fantastic legacy. He has been a great professional."
Pep Guardiola, Bayern& #39;s coach for Alonso& #39;s first two seasons at the club: "If we signed him to chase opponents, we should forget about him. He would be the worst player in the world. We signed him to dominate the game. Once Xabi has the ball, he is the best player."
Carlo Ancelotti, who reunited with Alonso for 2016/17: "Alonso is slow, that& #39;s true, but I was slow as a player as well. It& #39;s not a negative characteristic. It& #39;s important that the ball is circulated quickly and Xabi is one of the best at doing that."
Arjen Robben, team-mate at Bayern: "Football is one thing, family another. He& #39;s a bit older too. He is a great human being & a superb professional. He has won everything there is to win. Perhaps he can lift the Champions League trophy once more; that would be beautiful for him."
Jupp Heynckes, former Bayern and Real Madrid coach: "Xabi Alonso played at Liverpool and Real Madrid for five years each. He was always world class and confirmed this at Bayern."
Jürgen Klopp following Alonso& #39;s Bayern debut: "Xabi Alonso is an absolute world-class player. I wonder if the people at Real have already asked themselves whether it was a good idea to let him go."
Xabi Alonso, a model on and off the pitch. Truly one of a kind, will be remembered as the most classiest footballer ever.
