#xabi alonso imagine

[nemolfc]

𝐧𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐝 - 𝐱𝐚𝐛𝐢 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨

• 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲: 𝐦𝐞

𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐱𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲, 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞..

𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐚𝐧𝐱𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲, 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐞.

𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐢 𝐡𝐚𝐝 (𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞 … 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭, 𝐢 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 ��𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐢 𝐚𝐦 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐲.)

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭: @ts1m1kas , @inqloriouzlauren , @anfieldroad . @luvr4miya, @liverpool-enjoyer, @writtenbykirs , @anifffff , @mountsgirl , @houseofdolan

it occurred once more…

each year, as christmas approaches, her phone vibrates with the familiar notification of a text message; not just any message, but one from her mother – a perpetual reminder of the bloodline that once tethered her to them, despite her escape from their toxic grasp nearly a decade prior.

𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬?

every year, she acquiesced; yet, with each visit, an unrelenting flood of memories overwhelmed her thoughts – they had ridiculed her for her behavior, which had later been understood as symptomatic of her mental illness. they never had faith in her, belittled her passion for writing, and dismissed her as nothing more than a sluggish blogger. ironically, they still held these views... and the most painful of all, they mocked her appearance, perpetually comparing her to her siblings, a cruel action that only deepened the abyss she had already fallen into.

"amor?"

startled by xabi's soft voice, she flinched and swiftly erased any remnants of her tears, offering a faint, tentative smile before responding. "yes?"

xabi raised an eyebrow, though he refrained from pressing further. "tomorrow, the club is hosting a christmas eve celebration. i was curious if you'd be interested in attending."

she paused, uncertainty clouding her thoughts, torn between the fear of an impending panic attack and the desire to accept. "i'll go, can't allow the gaffer to appear alone!" she declared with a delicate smile.

xabi inclines his head gently, "good!" he falls quiet for a beat, then, his voice laced with uncertainty, inquires, "are you all right?"

she chews her lip, torn between disclosing the truth or concealing it—her battle with anxiety and depression was no secret to those in her inner circle, yet when she encountered xabi at a gathering through mutual acquaintances, she chose to keep that fragment of herself hidden, unwilling to overwhelm him with the weight of her struggles.

"i am fine, fine ... just, anxious about the publisher not responding to me yet!" she shrugged it off, and the prospect of whether or not i am going to travel back to see my family. she thought to herself.

xabi found her claims utterly unconvincing, not for a moment did he buy into her flimsy deception, knowing well her lack of skill in fabrication. "he’s likely preoccupied, especially with it being christmas, so don't fret, amor… now, hurry up and get dressed, let's dine out!"

a smile curled on her lips, grateful for the proposal. "alright!"

"i don't…" she murmurs with a sigh, "i… i can't say." she completes her attire before adding, "let's go!"

oh... something was undoubtedly wrong, xabi mused inwardly. throughout the journey, he observed her distracted demeanor, subtly intertwined with a trace of melancholy, as though she were lost in thought, reminiscing about something unsettling. what could it be?he pondered.

they arrive at a charming locale, one that exudes both intimacy and seclusion. xabi had forged a connection with the proprietor, securing them a secluded booth, shielded from the scrutiny of any onlookers. "you'll adore this place, amor," he remarked. "i stumbled upon it during my first months living here."

she compels a smile, one she is now very much aware is unmistakably contrived. "i trust you, xabi," she murmurs in a gentle tone.

xabi's agitation deepened with every fleeting moment. why was she acting in such an uncharacteristic manner? this was not her, never had been. throughout the years they had shared, he had witnessed only the gentleness, compassion, radiance, kindness, and endearing innocence that had first captivated him when they crossed paths at that party. now, he found himself confronted with an ethereal, hollow semblance of the person he had once cherished, as though the vibrant essence of her had dissipated entirely.

the waiter set down her meal, and as he had anticipated, she scarcely touched it—taking only a few bites while half-heartedly conversing with him. "i need to figure out what's troubling her," he murmured to himself.

after a seemingly tranquil dinner, the duo resolved to conclude their evening with a film. she nestled against him, yet her attention to the movie was fleeting as her mind drifted back to the time her sister launched an all-out assault, merely because she had apparently overlooked hanging up a blouse she had intended to wear.

"good grief, y/n, must you continue with this 'oh, look at me, i'm so clumsy' act? for fuck's sake, grow up already. you're not a child anymore. just because you're the youngest doesn't entitle you to act this way any longer."

her mother, an even more significant source of the psychological and emotional distress, intervened, subtly chastising her by suggesting that she ought to concentrate more, accusing her of acting like a bumbling imbecile, almost as if she were intentionally disregarding the countless instances when she had begged for help.

"why can't you be more like y/f/n? she's far more intelligent, poised, and doesn't exhibit the clumsiness you seem to perpetuate. it's as though i raised a circus monkey, not a child."

just then, without even fully recognizing it, she was overcome with emotion, tears streaming down her face in a torrent. xabi, ever perceptive, immediately took note of her distress and enveloped her in a tender embrace. "amor, hey… hey, what’s the matter? what happened?"

"what … what are you implying—y/n, y/n, oh my goodness y/n, Y/N!!!!"

without comprehension of the events that had transpired, she succumbed to the enveloping darkness, slipping into an abyss of unconsciousness; xabi, overwhelmed by dread, swiftly summoned an ambulance and accompanied her, his anxiety mounting with each passing moment as they neared the hospital. in a state of helplessness, he observed with a growing sense of despair as she was ushered further inside, the nurses instructing him to remain in suspense until the doctors had concluded all requisite examinations.

approximately forty minutes elapsed, each second stretching interminably, until the doctor finally emerged, calling out, "y/n y/l/n..."

xabi stood, his voice laced with a subtle note of apprehension. "how is she?" he inquired, a trace of worry lingering in his tone.

"fortunately, she is faring better now. we have administered the essential vitamins she had been deficient in over the past several days. it appears that she may have either been neglecting her medication or intentionally omitting meals, which is particularly detrimental for individuals with pcos. ..." the doctor elucidates, before inquiring, "does she have any prior history of mental health disorders?"

xabi furrows his brow in perplexity and mutters, "pcos… mental health disorders? she never mentioned this to me?"

"her medical records indicate that she experiences anxiety and depression, both of which can be distinct disorders or manifestations of pcos," the doctor elucidates with a tone of empathy. "additionally, it seems that miss y/l/n has a propensity for neglecting meals, as evidenced by her past medical history."

xabi was utterly flabbergasted, to put it mildly. "well... may i see her?" he inquires.

the physician inclines his head affirmatively, "she's located in room 450, just over there," he articulates while gesturing toward the specified room.

xabi trudged forward, each step burdened by an invisible yet crushing weight, akin to an anvil tethered to his soul. the oppressive sensation did not relent until he finally arrived at the room, where his gaze fell upon her—unconscious, her frail form tethered to an array of unyielding monitors. an intense wave of anguish surged through him, its sharp edges slicing through his composure as he moved closer to her bedside. sinking into the chair adjacent to her, he exhaled a heavy, trembling sigh. "amor," he murmured, his voice scarcely above a whisper, laden with sorrow, "why did you keep this from me?"

after a brief interlude, her companion, madeline, made her entrance. "xabi!" she exclaimed, her expression shadowed by a deep frown. "i received the call and got here as quick as i can. what happened?"

xabi exhales deeply, a palpable weight in his voice. "the physician revealed that her collapse was precipitated by neglecting nourishment, exacerbated further by anxiety and pcos. why… why did she conceal this from me?"

madeline mirrors his exasperation, her voice soft yet tinged with concern. "i was under the impression she had confided in you."

xabi quirked an inquisitive brow, "surely not ... what happened? what could compel her to act this way, and why has she concealed it from me?"

madeline regarded him with a contemplative gaze, deliberating whether to unveil the truth. “did she ever disclose why she remains estranged from her family?”

xabi shook his head, the weight of unspoken questions lingering. in the three years they had shared their lives, she had never uttered a word about her family. he had long assumed that her silence stemmed from an unwillingness to broach the topic, a deliberate severance of ties, or perhaps something graver—a concealed truth that her family remained unaware of their relationship altogether.

madeline gazes at her with a furrowed brow, her expression marked by a subtle but undeniable disquiet. "her family had subjected her to a lifetime of emotional and psychological torment. as the youngest, or perhaps more accurately, the middle child, she was perpetually made to feel as though she was an outlier—be it due to her appearance, her actions, or her demeanor. she was never the most intelligent, the most beautiful, nor the one who garnered the accolades. the relentless damage inflicted by her parents had ingrained within her a belief that she was inherently inadequate, a belief that still lingers within her to this day."

to claim that he was astounded would be an egregious understatement; it explained the reason behind her difficulty in discussing the subject of children, much less the notion of a joyful future, for her very own progeny made her feel as though she was undeserving of such aspirations.

"i can't believe she never told me ..." xabi whispers in astonishment, he looks at madeline. "why?"

"she was reluctant to impose upon you, … her desire was for you to have a girlfriend deserving of media attention, yet, the media has not been particularly favorable towards her." madeline shakes her head.

xabi exhales deeply, having perused the articles where they derided her for failing to conform to the aesthetic of a runway model. if anything, he admired that she deviated from that mold; she was a woman, an authentic woman. "i urged her to ignore them!"

"it's never that straightforward when anxiety and depression govern her existence!" madeline responds, a melancholic smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"xabi, do take care of her, for given her mother’s nature, she is undoubtedly inquiring whether she intends to visit them tomorrow," madeline spoke gently, her tone laced with concern.

xabi nodded, his gaze lingering on madeline as she exited the room. he then turned to y/n, his voice soft but insistent. "wake up, amor, please."

about an hour later, y/n gradually rouses from her slumber, her eyes squinting as they acclimate to the blinding illumination of the room. her gaze falls upon xabi, who is clutching her hand while seated awkwardly in the chair, his posture far from restful. "xabi," she uttered weakly, her voice raspy from the remnants of sleep.

he stirs awake without delay, murmuring "amor..." in a breathy whisper, a sigh of relief escaping him as his hand gently brushes her face. "do you feel better?" he inquires softly.

she responds with a slow nod, her gaze fixed on him as he reaches for the glass of water, assisting her in taking a substantial sip. "what happened to me?" she queries, her voice tinged with confusion.

"you fainted... after we had dinner, and whilst we were engrossed in the film!" he elucidated. "the physician asserted that you've been neglecting your meals!"

"xabi, i..." she attempted to justify herself.

"no, no, it's alright... madeline confided everything to me!" xabi responded, his own gaze brimming with tears. "why didn't you confide in me?"

"i was scared ... scared you'd leave me, my own family didn't want me around, it's why i left them ..." she replies, feeling ashamed.

"well," xabi murmurs with a weary sigh. "you can address them when we return home, and tell them that you will never lay eyes on them again. from this moment forward, i will be your family, and my family will become yours." he whispers tenderly, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "i love you more than words can express, amor, and from now on, there will be no more secrets between us."

"i love you too," she says, her smile tinged with tears.

true to his word, once she was discharged, she dialed her mother's number and calmly explained that she would never speak to them again, unless it was an absolute emergency. xabi stood steadfastly by her side as she spoke, offering comfort through his soothing embrace. when the call ended, she turned to him and whispered, "thank you, i couldn’t have done this without you."

he held her close, his voice filled with unwavering devotion, "i love you, amor, and i promise to protect you from anyone who dares to harm you."

[stormoflina]

May I present you a new fear: what if our next manager is in fact not Xabi, but some uggo?

[miasanmuller]

If we somehow manage to get Xabi in the summer I'll literally implode. That's it. I'll collapse under my own excitement and turn into a bunch of glitter and sequins

[greenorangevioletgrass]

def wondering what other brands have collab-ed (?) with footballer!bradley and which one was his fave to work with !! Imagine him having a limited edition football cleats collab with nike or adidas

ohhh that is a BRILLIANT question!!!

i feel like he's a nike guy. bradley with his fiery red football boots (bc, yknow, great balls of fire 🔥) and a couple sneakers as well!

and okay if we're talking brands, we gotta talk style. bradley is an old soul with all that classic refined style. he's all about that sleek, tailored cut --like he is very rarely seen in hoodies or tracksuits outside the training ground and absolutely hates baggy clothes. think pep guardiola, xabi alonso, mikel arteta, aaron ramsey (minus that bleached blonde moment lmao)

his fave brands to work with would be... tom ford? just that classic timeless look. also he wears that black orchid perfume, not caring that it's a women's perfume hahah. he'd be a watch guy too, so probably patek philippe. and while this isn't the most high end brand, but bradley would have the most fun with it: gillette 😂 they would do the most hilarious and unhinged commercials where he gets to show everyone his silly goose side (no pun intended lol).

im still debating on whether he would model for calvin klein underwear (remember that iconic beckham ad?) but idk... what do you guys think?

[a2zofthebeautifulgame]

"Football is one of the chaotic ball sports in existence.And right in the middle, you have Xabi. Composed. Like imagine a yoga instructor for Hulk. You get what I’m saying? There is a compilation of Xabi making Hollywood passes for about 5-6 mins with no prequel or sequel. Mandatory viewing. The video is titled, ‘Xabi Alonso’s pings are therapeutic’ and once you fall for Xabi, it’s hard to move on."

[thommi-tomate]

Interview with Sepp Maier

By:Sport1

Mr. Maier, how do you look back on the football year 2023?

With a lot of emotion. It started with Manuel Neuer's serious injury, which he sustained on his skiing vacation. That was a shock, of course. But one thing is clear: Manu never took too many risks. I never doubted Manu's comeback afterwards. He's such a great goalkeeper, he just had to come back. Of course, it was sad when FC Bayern parted ways with Julian Nagelsmann. It came as a surprise, but perhaps it was unavoidable. Overall, it wasn't FC Bayern's year.

The Munich team also said goodbye to leading personalities prematurely. Looking back, how do you view the departure of Hasan Salihamidžić and Oliver Kahn?

Of course, that was a big personnel shake-up. Brazzo tore himself apart for FC Bayern, I'm sure of that. And maybe Olli didn't fit into the manager's chair. He certainly gave his all for the club, because he has a deep red Bayern heart. The way Uli settled accounts with Olli afterwards was certainly not good. That was Uli at his best again.

What was your personal highlight?

Manu's return in the home game against Darmstadt 98 is clear. I never understood the whole drama, nor why other goalkeepers were traded in the first place. And my opinion of Yann Sommer is well known: I would never have signed him. I'm happy for him that he's now performing so well again at Inter Milan. But Sommer wasn't one for FC Bayern. A small highlight was certainly the double contract extension of Manuel Neuer and Sven Ulreich recently. FC Bayern showed its old strength. That was a great move.

For the first time in many years, FC Bayern is not first at the end of the year, but sees Bayer Leverkusen at the top of the table. How much does that make your Bayern heart ache?

That hurts a bit - and it's also really unusual. But it has to be acknowledged without envy that Leverkusen deserve it. They have set a new record with 25 unbeaten competitive matches across all competitions, which is quite a remarkable run. Xabi Alonso would be a great coach for FC Bayern, he's doing an excellent job at Leverkusen. The way football is played there makes every fan click their tongue. It's unparalleled even in Europe. And honestly? I wouldn't have put it past Alonso.

Will Leverkusen even become German champions in the end?

I still believe that Bayern will be champions again in the end, but it hasn't been as difficult as this season for a long time. Thomas Tuchel must get the players back on track immediately in the new year. Bayern must not weaken for a single minute. Otherwise that's it for the title. But there are also quite a few people who would begrudge Bayer Leverkusen the title. If only because of Alonso. That would also put an end to this stupid "Vizekusen" (second-kusen or also his english equivalent neverkusen)

Thomas Müller has extended his contract with FC Bayern until 2025 ahead of the last game of the year. It wasn't a complete surprise, how did you take it?

With great joy. But I also firmly assumed that Thomas would stay, he's simply a Bayern legend. Müller is such a good guy and a really good player. The way he performs on and off the pitch is wonderful and I pay him a lot of respect for that. Müller hasn't always had it easy with Tuchel, but he's taken it professionally. I'm sure Tuchel also liked his attitude. Thomas Müller lives and breathes FC Bayern. The interview after the 3-0 win against VfB Stuttgart was 100 percent Müller. He was funny and totally clear with what he said. You can't imagine him at any other club anyway. Like with me back then.

Is Müller the Gerd Müller of today?

Absolutely. Thomas Müller is the Gerd Müller of modern times. There's nothing more to say. Gerd would be proud that Thomas has extended his contract again.

What makes Müller so unique?

His professionalism and his authentic and funny manner. I can only repeat myself: he's just a really good guy and a great footballer.

But Müller will probably replace you as the record player - does that annoy you?

Not at all. I'd rather have Thomas than someone from BVB (laughs). It will happen and he is a worthy successor. I wish him all the best. He will have earned it.

Harry Kane has scored 21 goals in 15 league games. An incredible rate, isn't it?

Absolutely. In the summer, you could assume that things would work out with him and Bayern, but his performance is already exceptionally good. There are almost no words. The special thing about Kane is that he also works for others and shows how much he has already internalized FC Bayern. He's good for the Bundesliga. Kane is clearly more valuable than Lewandowski.

Finally, let's take a look ahead to next year's European Championship at home. What are your thoughts on the tournament?

I have mixed feelings about the home European Championships. Of course it's something very special. And it will be a very important tournament, especially for Julian Nagelsmann. He can win everything, but he can also lose everything. One thing is clear: the team must improve. We won't get through the preliminary round with performances like the recent ones against Turkey and Austria. Then we'll fail badly, but I'm thinking positively. The closer we get to the European Championship, the more euphoria there will be in Germany. It will be similar to 2006.

Julian Nagelsmann recently hinted in the ZDF sports studio that he could imagine bringing Toni Kroos back to the national team. What is your opinion?

I wouldn't bring Kroos back. I don't think it's good for him to play for the national team again. He's had his time. We have many other talented players in his position who can help the team. It's a popular topic for the media, but I wouldn't call Kroos up again. That doesn't mean he's not a great player and hasn't done anything for German football.

Meanwhile, Marc-André ter Stegen is fighting for the number one spot in the German national team, but is currently injured. Who will be in goal for Germany at the European Championships?

Manuel Neuer. Ter Stegen is a very good goalkeeper, but Manu is on the way to his old form, so there is no doubt who will be number 1 at the European Championship in Germany.

Final question: After 17 months of proceedings, the European Court of Justice has given the green light for the establishment of the Super League. Are you pleased about this?

Of course not. Nobody needs the Super League, there is already the Champions League for the big clubs, many national leagues and then the Nations League. The Super League will turn football into a two-tier society. I see that with great concern.

[longeyelashedtragedy]

send me a character and i’ll list:

Mikel!

oooh, this is an interesting one

i once told a friend, i forget who, that Mikel is what an AI would spit out if i gave it a bunch of traits i find desirable in a man. and fitting for an AI, mikel isn't actually someone i want in that way, if that makes sense? he's kind of...uncanny valley. off-putting. not quite "inscrutable," but, hmmm. sort of like his life partner granit, he's unlike anyone else out there, but in a very different way than granit is.

favorite thing about them: the passion, the stubbornness, the slight insanity, the toothy-grinned charisma. i think he'd be a great politician, which is a compliment in a sense that i love politicians in an academic sort of way (hate them in practice, with very few exceptions). the behind the scenes machinations re: auba's departure in all or nothing were kind of terrifying and fascinating at once. also, what he did for granit literally brings me to tears. it's the disney love story that disney love stories want to be. oh, also his ass. what the fuck kind of workouts is he doing

also random fun fact: his older sister is a bougie artist who lives in mallorca year-round

least favorite thing about them: a) what he's doing to aaron ramsdale. b) that he's a native speaker of euskera but he's NEVER spoken it anywhere. it is a beautiful language and i'd love to hear him speak it. mikel, your less hot counterpart xabi has spoken it in interviews, get on it

favorite line:

brotp: xabi alonso! i don't really ship them romantically, but i do love that they've known each other for so long and their lives periodically intertwine, like right now with granit.

notp: kloppteta (i don't really ship kloppo with anyone, sry guys!)

otp: runners up: pepteta, & mikel and tim cahill back in everton (they...TRULY were a force of nature in those olde interviews)

The winner...

XHAKARTETA

maybe, in some ways, The Best OTP Of All Time (*aside from rakidrić). it's everything, everything.

i write about it a lot on here from the perspective of what Xhakarteta did for granit, and will do that again in my granit ask. i think it wasn't as obvious specifically what it did for mikel until granit left and mikel really seems to have lost his marbles a little. i have the feeling that mikel doesn't fully respect that many people, or trust that many people, and i think his utter and complete respect/trust for granit was a relief to him, and having granit around as his true equal did more for his stability than he knew.

plus they're gorgeous together physically. imagine their kids! like. damn. they'd also speak some of the coolest languages on the planet.

xhakarteta is weird because i bash on my own writing a lot, but i'm really satisfied with how i write and interpret them. i give them that little exciting something extra 😈

random headcanon: mikel probably has the most basic milquetoast liberal politics on the planet

unpopular opinion: he looked better with the Rangers-era long hair and he needs his earring back! i don't know how unpopular that is on tumblr, but i think it's unpopular with him lol

song i associate with them: i have a couple, but as with most footballers my song associations are kind of on superficial levels (franko and my movren mix being the exceptions)

bulería by david bisbal - wrong part of spain, but this song goes harder than any song should be going, and i love the DRAMA, and also that line -- "quiero ser tu calma y tu tempestad" -- i want to be your calm and your storm -- That's Xhakarteta !!!

favorite picture of them: ok, i'm sure at least one person will predict what i'm going to choose:

-2004, glasgow. so many photos i could have picked, but at the same time like...yeah!

[realwhitegold]

all of you who keep tagging this with "why is xabi alonso back on my dash" .... imagine how i feel right now.

(also i fixed the playlist to add the last song now that mbv's on spotify.)

I AM TRYING TO BREAK YOUR HEART || aka, every song that xabi alonso has ever linked, recommended, or mentioned on twitter, 2011-2017. (Spotify)

warning: this playlist is possibly the most pretentious hipster white dude musical collection ever assembled. this playlist lives in bushwick, brooklyn, although it’s loudly considering moving to berlin. this playlist rides a fixed-gear bicycle and is brewing its own kombucha tea in its apartment, in violation of the local building codes and the landlord’s rental agreement. this playlist is a democratic socialist and rails against capitalism, while still scrounging off its parents. this playlist has strong opinions about craft beers.

so basically, it’s my 20s in digital music form. damn it, xabi.

track listing below. enjoy.

Galaxie 500 | Isn’t It A pity

Lou Reed | Perfect Day

The Velvet Underground | Pale Blue Eyes

The Brian Jonestown Massacre | It Girl

Dinosaur Jr. | Don’t Pretend You Didn’t Know

Teenage Fanclub | Neil Jung

Spiritualized | Little Girl

Tame Impala | Feels Like We Only Go Backwards

Howlin’ Wolf | Goin’ Down Slow

Quique González | Tenía que decírtelo

Richard Hawley | Soldier On

Swans | Song For a Warrior

The Flaming Lips | Waitin’ For A Superman

Cass McCombs | The Same Thing

Dan Magan | The Indie Queens Are Waiting

The Black Keys | Little Black Submarines

Low | Try to Sleep

The XX | Intro

Walk the Moon | Tightrope

Arcade Fire | Half Light II (No Celebration)

Phoenix | 1901

Pavement | Gold Soundz

Pavement | Shady Lane

Bon Iver | Blindsided

Arctic Monkeys | Mardy Bum

of Montreal | Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games

Alabama Shakes | I Found You  

Steven Malkmus | Animal Midnight

The Stone Roses | I Wanna be Adored

Pixies | Where is My Mind?

Dean Martin | My Rifle, My Pony and Me

Band of Horses | Laredo

Billy Bragg and Wilco | California Stars

Belle & Sebastian | Another Sunny Day

James | Getting Away With It (All Messed Up)

Radiohead | Creep

Wilco | You And I

The Shins | Simple Song

Massive Attack | Paradise Circus

Emiliana Torrini | Gun

M83 | Midnight City

Kavinsky | Nightcall

College & Electric Youth | A Real Hero

The Verve | The Drugs Don’t Work

Leonard Cohen | Show Me The Place

The Clash | Jimmy Jazz

Iggy Pop | Lust for Life

Red Hot Chili Peppers | Under the Bridge

Morrissey | Everyday is like Sunday

My Bloody Valentine | only tomorrow ((not currently available on spotify))

[sorceresski]

Imagine they get Xabi Alonso💀

[nemolfc]

𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐦𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐨 - 𝐱𝐚𝐛𝐢 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨

𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲: 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬

(𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭)

𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬, (𝐨𝐫 … 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐢'𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐱𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨)

𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐬𝐦*𝐭.

𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲!!! (𝐢 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐝'𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 … 𝐛𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐜.)

Her life was quite unique from the very beginning, growing up in Reggiolo as the youngest daughter of Carlo Ancelotti propelled her into greatness from a very young age ...

Her oldest sibling Katia was a communications manager for a popular company in Milan, her second oldest Davide worked closely with her father after he transitioned into management, she on the other hand had opted to venture into music, training quite vigorously ever since she was young, the training had paid off as following her graduation from university in which she had recieved a degree in business-management as well as a minor in communications.

She decided to dedicate her time and focus onto music, and what started as quite a bumpy path given the nepotism accusations coupled with the negativity she consistently recieved online ultimately lead to a thriving career as a fully established pop vocalist at just twenty years old with two successful albums behind her.

However, asides from music, she adored football as it had been the common ground which strengthened her relationship with her father, she'd consistently attend every game he managed in every club he ever went to, however when it came to her personal preference, it was that of the Merseyside club, Liverpool.

At first, she could not exactly pinpoint why she was so drawn to the club -it was only two months into following the club that she realized why she was drawn to them- it was the very moment, her youthful eyes landed on him and then, everything changed ...

Initially she'd chalked it up to a sense of admiration, she loved his style of play, had worn his jersey to every home and away game, cheering him on as much as she could, she'd even gotten his autograph on the jersey, a fond memory she kept to herself, hidden from everyone around her, however as time went on and she continued to follow his career, she knew that what she felt spanned further than admiration, and it wasn't until she learned of her father's transfer from Paris Saint Germain to Real Madrid, just how intense her feelings were to noneother than Xabier Alonso.

♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.

It'd been a year since her father became the manager of Real Madrid, six months since Xabi had made the shift from the Merseyside champions to Los Blancos, and Y/N was definitely thrilled to be able to watch him play whenever she could, along with supporting her father, after having relocated from London to Madrid to broaden her musical horizon.

Carlo, was beyond thrilled -he'd always had a soft spot for Y/N- yes, he loved all of his children equally, however his youngest was the closest due to how eager she was to understand the world of football and in turn, he supported her creative and artistic musical venture, making sure to boast about her every chance he can get -and that's what ultimately lead to his newest player becoming fascinated with his youngest- furthermore, leading to their very first encounter.

Real Madrid had won the Copa Del Rey following an impressive 7-0 bout with Sevilla, and to celebrate -Sergio had suggested a private night at the club full of drinks and a vibrant atmosphere- that night had coincided with Y/N's twenty first birthday, and whilst the team were at the private booth with their significant others downing drinks and chatting amongst one another, he on the other hand seemed far more invested in a particular and alluring sight right across from the booth.

Another booth was occupied by a group of young girls, and amongst one of them was her, he'd recognized her almost immediately -however what drew his attention further, was the ruby red spaghetti strapped dress she had that left nothing to the imagination, coupled with her beautiful hair curled to perfection as well as her makeup and the stunning heels had served to attract him almost instantly, foregoing the obvious fact that he was a decade older than her, and she just so happened to be the daughter of his coach.

Sergio, who was initially chatting with Ricardo had noticed his fellow Spaniard's gaze, he followed his gaze to the booth across from theirs, his brows shooting up in amusement, "Xabi, hermano ..." he chuckled, "Y/N?"

"Huh?" replied Xabi, realizing he'd been caught, he brushed it off and chuckled, "I was just shocked to see her, that's all ..."

"It's her birthday," Sergio replied, "Overheard the gaffer talking to her before the match the day before!"

"Ah! ..." Xabi nods, "It makes sense."

Sergio looked at him for a moment before he asked, "You like her, don't you?"

"No." Xabi replied quickly.

Sergio laughs, "You fucking liar, you are crushing on her ..."

"I'm not," he replies with a defensive tone, before releasing a groan of frustration. "Ok, maybe I do ... but it's not like I'm going to chase her, I won't risk my spot on the team."

"I hear you ..." Sergio chuckles before adding, "Though I won't blame you if you do end up with her, you guys are kind of similar, passionate about your careers, the whole nine yards."

Xabi seemed too focused on Y/N to even pay attention to what Sergio was saying, and it was when Y/N had excused herself to go to the restrooms that he said, "I'm gonna go!"

Sergio frowns, "Where?"

"I'll be right back ..." Xabi states as he stands up, and walks towards the restrooms, right around the time she steps out and bumps into him.

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry ..." she said softly before her eyes locked on his, they widened in recognition, "Xabi?"

"Yeah, and you're Y/N?" he replied with a gentle tone.

"The one and only ..." she chuckles before adding with a nervous tone, "I should add though that I'm a big fan of yours ..."

"You are?" he asks, surprised by her statement.

"Uh huh ... I mean, you can imagine how excited I was when I learned that you'd be managed by my dad," she giggles.

"That's flattering, to have the talented Y/N as my fan ..." he admits with a soft smile.

"Um ... I gotta go, but I'll see you around!" she said softly, before adding. "Congratulations on your win, that goal was pretty amazing!"

He smiles, "Thank you."

"Bye," she waved.

"Bye," he waved.

───────────────────────────────

Another year rolls around, and Xabi had settled into his new team quite seamlessly -beloved by the fans, his teammates and Carlo- however the latter was a double edged sword, because as much as he admired the Italian manager, he felt a sense of dread each time he recieved a text message or a call from her ...

Whilst Carlo regarded him as a consistent starter for each match, the fact of the matter is he knew that his chances were on thin ice given his secretive friendship with his manager's twenty one year old daughter, a friendship that he now identifies as a full fledged relationship, at least on his end ...

Xabi had grown so fond of her, her bubbly persona, professionalism when it came to her career and the love she gives beyond her music, volunteering to help charities, donating to hospitals, he knew he was hooked the minute he had heard her sing yet now, he was completely and utterly hers, and he wasn't ashamed to admit it, a few of his teammates had picked up on the stolen looks he'd give Y/N whenever she was in attendance, Sergio had warned him to be extra careful and he was, to an extent.

One afternoon, on a rare free day, he asks her to meet him at the park -an odd request given that they usually spend time either at his house or hers, depending on the day- however, he had other plans as he brought along a small basket full of treats and a picnic blanket, setting things up under one of the trees, he waited for about forty five minutes until he spotted her walking towards him; it was then, he realized that no matter how many times he saw her, he fell in love, again and again as her charm and kindness radiated through her eyes.

"Xabi!" she exclaims with a soft look, "What's all of this?" she gestured to the picnic basket.

His cheeks flush, and he answers with a shy tone. "This is um ... our first date!"

"Our what?" she retorts in surprise.

"Our first date ... I know, the classical thing is I have to ask you out first but you're Carlo Ancelotti's daughter ..." he states, gulping nervously. "His youngest daughter, and that alone freaked me out so I thought being friends with you would help suppress my feelings for you but they never went away, and I know I'm potentially gonna lose my spot for this, but to hell with it! I can't hold back, I want to explore this, this thing between us, because I know I'll regret it, if I don't."

To say that Y/N was stunned would be an understatement, to her belief, she always thought her crush was unrequited and in a way she was content with it, to love him from afar and be his friend -however, to hear him declare his feelings had definitely managed to sway her into replying- "You do know if my dad finds out, you'll probably be benched for the whole season!"

He chuckles, "I'm willing to take my chances."

Y/N proceeded to sit down and say, "Let's get our first date then," she giggles. "I must add that you are attentive ..."

"How so?" he asks, handing her one of the sandwiches he made whilst he poured her a glass of orange juice.

"My ideal first date was always a picnic, so you either stalked one of my interviews or you guessed it on the fly!" she retorts playfully.

"The first ..." he admits with a blush.

She laughs, before retorting. "Remember our first encounter?"

"Yeah, a year ago at the club ... why?" he asks with a confused tone.

"That wasn't our first encounter ..." she chuckles softly. "Our first encounter happened when um ... during your first season in Liverpool, I was thirteen, and my mom took me to one of your first matches, against Manchester United, I stood excited after you guys won and you signed my jersey," she said before adding. "I know it's stalker-ish, but yeah ..."

"Woah ..." he grows silent before his eyes widen, "You mean we met way before."

"Uh huh ..." she nods, "I told you ... I'm a big fan!" she whispers plaufully.

"Well I am still flattered that I have an adorable stalker!" he grins.

A wave of comfortable silence falls between them before she asks, "Xabi?"

"Yeah?" he replies, looking at her.

"You're not ... uncomfortable with our age gap ..." she asks with a hesitant tone. "Right?"

"To be honest, it's a double edged sword, there's going to be a lot of criticism if it goes public, half because of the age gap and the other half because of your father, they'll say I'm dating you to get on his good graces, or worse ... guarantee my spot on the team," he sighs softly before taking a hold of her hand. "I'm willing to take the risk."

Y/N smiled widely before leaning over to press a gentle kiss on his lips. "Then I'm yours!" she whispers.

His face lights up in response, "As am I ..."

It wasn't easy by any means, maintaining a private relationship away from the prying eyes of the public as well as the paparazzi, their meet ups were private as well, mostly in secluded areas or if they're lucky, their houses -as far as the world knew, she was the apple of her father's eye, a beloved singer whilst he was the glue that held the team's midfield together- the consequences of such an affair loomed on top of them, prompting them to be quite careful about how they should handle the pressure of a relationship of this magnitude, and he firmly believed he was able to hide it for a while, until ...

───────────────────────────────

To say it was pure torture to see her standing near her father would be an understatement, she looked absolutely gorgeous in her leggings and oversized t-shirt coupled with the cap was enough to send blood rushing straight to his cock resulting in a groan of frustration to escape him ... Sergio, who noticed his expression leaned over and jokingly said, "Careful not to explode in front of the boss or your Juliet!"

Xabi shot him a deadly glare before his gaze trailed back to her and he noticed her smiling his way which elicited a subtle smile from him, that faded when he noticed Carlo looking his way ... I have to stop or else I'm going to be punished, he reminds himself.

· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·

"Xabi seems to settle in nicely ..." Y/N remarks.

"He is ... his performance in the last few games has been impressive!" Carlo nods before adding, "He's definitely going to start in the upcoming fixture against Inter Milan!"

"He's also cute ..." she murmurs.

"Y/N!" Carlo exclaimed sternly.

"What?" she retorts, "It's not like I lied ..."

"Don't even think about it ..." was all he said before shifting his focus back to training.

Too late ..., Y/N thought to herself as she decided to enter back into the training center.

· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·

Y/N was confused by the text message Xabi had sent her stating that they needed to speak and that it was an emergency, they'd both agreed not to speak to one another whenever she paid her father a visit yet Xabi had insisted, stating that he was hiding in one of the storage closets, "Xabi?" she calls out once she spots the closet in question with the ajar door. "Xa-Oh!" she was immediately dragged in and the door was shut behind her, "Xabi ..." she whispers.

He locks the door then turns to her, "I couldn't wait," he grumbles, wrapping one arm around her waist, and the other around her shoulder to pull her in for a kiss. "You looked so beautiful out there!" he whispers hotly before pressing his lips entirely over hers.

She was stunned for a brief moment before melting almost instantly in his embrace, he gently pushed her up against the wall, hoisting her up so that she'd wrap her legs around his torso. "You do realize we're at risk of being caught," she whispers, a soft moan escapes her lips when his lips descend down to the column of her thorat.

"I know ... but you don't understand," he murmurs, his hand slipping inside her t-shirt, crawling up to cup her breasts through her bra and when he felt the lace, a low groan escapes him. "You tease, you're wearing the red lace bra, aren't you?"

"Yeah ..." she replied breathessly, whining when he squeezed her left breast. "Fuck."

"You're so sexy," he moaned in her ear, hiking her shirt up to press featherlight kisses over the top of her breasts, "And you're all mine," he lowered her bra cups to take one of her nipples in his mouth while his index finger and thumb toyed with the other, eliciting the sweetest of sounds from her.

"Fuck ..." she whines quietly.

His lips trail back up to her neck, her jawline, her cheek then her lips as he whispered, with a teasing tone. "How do you think your dad will react if he finds out his precious princess fucked out of her mind until she could only remember my name?" a grin appears across his lips upon noticing her expression. "Oh Querida, look at you, so beautiful!" he murmurs.

He sets her down then hikes her leggings down to her ankles, pushes her panties to the side, pressing his thumb over her clit to tease her, "Let them hear you, let them all hear you so they'd know who's making you feel good."

"Xabi!" the young female whines, "Please."

He slips his hand inside of his shorts, then boxers to pull out his cock, pumping himself before he slowly pushed his cock into her pussy drawing out the softest cry from her, "There we go," he groans, "Moan for me, moan for me ..."

"Xabi!" Y/N moans, "Fuck ..."

"Your dad would kill me ..." he slams his hips against her own, "His little girl and his player, I'll be done but you know what?" he paused, gently nibbling down on her neck. "You're worth it, so fucking worth it."

"Oh ..." she whines, "Shut up and fuck me."

Xabi grins, "You don't have to tell me twice."

He hoists her up slightly, and begins to move his hips against hers, grunting with each thrust, "There we go, such a good girl taking my cock inside her tight pussy," he praised her, whispering hotly in her ear. "Tell me, do you love it?" he growls, "Do you love feeling my cock deep in your slick tight pussy?"

"Yes .. yes ... OH FUCK YES!" Y/N whines, pulling him closer to her, "Harder!" she cried softly.

His thrusts increased rapidly, "I'm gonna cum ..." he whispers in her ear, "You're going to let me cum in you querida, you're gonna be a good girl and let me cum in you."

"Please ..." Y/N moans, "Please ... please ... please ..."

With one last sharp thrust, his cock twitches and he releases a surge of warmth inside of her followed shortly by her pussy clenching around his cock as they both rode off the waves of their orgasm, "Oh god!" she sighs.

Xabi pulls her in for a kiss before murmuring, "You gotta admit this was hot, ..." he chuckles, "Sex in the storage closet."

"Yeah," she giggles.

Suddenly, they hear ...

"Xabi! ... Xabi!"

The pair quickly redress, and Y/N whispers. "You have to go ... I'll walk out a few minutes after once the coast is clear."

"No, I'm not leaving you ... what if it's the boss?" he whisper shouts.

The sounds grows closer, "Xabi, hermano ...?"

"That's not my dad, that's Sergio ..." Y/N replies, "Let's go out, he already knows we're together."

Xabi sighs softly, "Ok ... let's do that!"

The pair bravely step out of the storage room only to be faced with not just Sergio but indeed, her father as well, "Oh boy!" Xabi whispers under his breath.

Carlo looks between his daughter and Xabi, then looks at Sergio. "What uh ... what's this?"

"Boss, I think it's best if ... they explain!" Sergio said, before excusing himself and leaving the trio standing there in an eerie silence.

"So?" Carlo broke the silence with a stern yet calm tone.

"We can explain ..." Y/N blurts out before growing quiet under her dad's stern stare.

"How long?" Carlo asks calmly.

"A year and ten months." Xabi replies quickly.

"Aha ... so for a year and ten months, you've been decieving my daughter." Carlo deduced, nodding slowly.

"Dad ..." Y/N groans, "He wasn't decieving me, I was the one who fell in love first and you know that."

"That does not change the fact that this relationship is immoral sweetheart, he's ten years older than you." Carlo interjects.

"I'm not a child, I'm almost twenty two." Y/N rolls her eyes, "And besides, Xabi and I are in love."

"In love? after almost two years ..." Carlo retorts incredulously, "Absolutely not, I don't approve of this."

"Sir ... If I may?" Xabi began.

"Shut up ..." Carlo growls.

"Dad!"

"Sir, with all due respect ... I'm going to ask you to listen," Xabi seemed to stand his ground as he continued, "I love your daughter, and you're right, she's ten years younger than me, she could have anyone in the world but she chose me, and I'll ever question why she did just that, however what I can also do, is cherish her, love her, take care of her every need, make sure that she's always happy, because to me, she's more than just your daughter, she's my person, she's my ..." he paused, interlocking his digits with her, "My soulmate."

Her heart softened at Xabi's sweet declaration, she then turned to her father. "Dad I love you, and I will always love you, you're the first man I have ever loved," she sighs, "But I love him, and there's nothing you can do about it, I am standing my ground."

Carlo grew silent for what seemed like an eternity before he said, "Are one hundred per cent committed towards my little girl?"

"Yes, for the rest of my life." Xabi said with a soft tone.

"Then you do realize that while you have managed to charm my daughter, it will take a lot more than that to impress me, football skills aside ..." Carlo states before narrowing his eyes at him, "If you hurt her, break her heart or subject her to anything painful, trust me when I say that you can kiss your football career goodbye."

He knew better than to call bluff on it, Carlo was and still is protective of Y/N. "I understand and I give you my word, ... I will protect Y/N with my life."

"Very well ..." Carlo said then added, "Training's back in fifteen minutes!"

"Ok ..." he breathed out a sigh of relief.

Carlo walked away, however midstep he said. "Hey Xabi?"

"Yeah boss!" Xabi replied.

"Fix your shorts ..."

Xabi scrambled upon the realization that his shorts weren't fixed properly, "Shit!"

Y/N remained silent for a brief moment before she said, "Well that could have gone worse."

"Really?" Xabi arched a brow at her remark, "Your father almost saw my cock and that's what you say."

"He could have found us having sex!" Y/N giggles.

"You are unbelievable," Xabi pulled her in for a kiss.

She happily kissed him back, "At least now it's all out in the open ..." she trails off before teasingly adding. "Daddy."

He grunts, "You do realize I'm going to be rock hard once again."

"Well ..." she grins, "That's why god created your right hand," she leaned over and kissed his cheek, "I'll see you later."

Xabi watched her walk away, letting out a soft sight, she is going to be the death of me.

[robbhoe]

STEVIE G'S INSTAGRAM STORY PLEASE NO

[footieridiculosity]

I’m so grateful my first great football love is Xabi Alonso because there’s few with a better football brain than him. He opened the door to every major subsequent obsession in football for me, from Cruyff to tactics to the Anti-Tackling School of Elegant Italian Defending. I don’t know if getting into football today as a kid is still focused on the game itself like that. The young stars are probably way more relatable, having the same social media, meme and video game hobbies as their fans, but I personally didn’t need someone who talked about the things I already knew. I needed to learn from someone who introduced new, meaningful ideas, and that’s exactly what I got.

[midnightfragments]

Xabi Alonso’s Teammates: The Emoji Edition (the extra three) [x]

[futbolfanficpunk]

the coaches when girls world imagine fan fics in their minds

Arteta Xabi Alonso Pep Guardiola Unai Emery

the holy quadrinity of Txoria txori (in the form they approximately have in the fic?)

basically - more hair and less hair gel???

[tinnchan]

top 5 football players 😌🤟

okokokokokokokokokokkokokokok cool cool cool cool fav of all time???? favourite from liverpool??? favourite current players???? this is so not ok a question i cannot cope rn. Favourite players of all time i guess???? Narrowing it down to players who actually played in my lifetime, imagine me being a snobbish binch and saying cruyff or pele. But Im cheating and picking 10. 1. Steven Gerrard 2. Xabi Alonso 3. Andrea Pirlo 4. Jordan Henderson 5. Sadio Mane 6. Zinedine Zidane 7. Virgil Van Djik 8. Trent Alexander Arnold 9. Robert Lewandowski 10. Samuel eto'o

[rowan-fcb]

Who will cry saturday because of them too? 🙋🏻🙋🏻🙋🏻