The spectators at Real Sociedad San Sebastián’s “Zubieta” training facility were amazed. The man with the grey baseball cap on the artificial turf pitch Z4 was actually Xabi Alonso (42).
He prefers the coach’s bench to the beach – Xabi simply can’t live without football!
The double coach of Bayer Leverkusen is currently on holiday in his Basque homeland and briefly returned to being a youth coach on Wednesday. He began his career as a coach with the youth teams at Real Madrid.
What a surprise: Alonso coached the B youth team of Zuatzu KE. His son Jon Alonso Aranburu plays in this team – like his father, in midfield and with the number 14 on his shirt.
Zuatzu is currently taking part in the “Donosti Cup”, the largest Spanish youth football tournament. The “Donosti Cup”, with around 800 teams from 20 nations, has been held every year since 1992 in the first week of July in San Sebastián. In Basque, the city is called Donastia.
Xabi Alonso led Bayer Leverkusen to its first championship and also won the DFB Cup
Photo: WITTERS
Alonso becomes youth coach again
Alonso took over the care of Zuatzu and Jon in 2023. Now dad Xabi led the U16s to a 3-1 win in Group B against Aika Sport. 76 teams from ten countries compete in this age group. Jon was shown a yellow card in the 39th minute and scored the 3-0 two minutes later. Gabi Arteta, the son of Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta (42), one of Alonso’s closest friends, also plays in the team.
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The tournament is very close to the Bayer coach’s heart, so taking part in the event is an absolute matter of honour for him. At the age of twelve, Xabi himself played in the tournament with his home club Antiguoko KE – together with Mikel Arteta, by the way.
“My first game that was broadcast on television was at this tournament,” he once revealed. “I always like being able to take part in the Donosti Cup. I have very good memories of the year I took part. I enjoy it.”
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2024-07-04 08:04:45
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