XABI ALONSO is the talk of Liverpool and Germany.
The management of Bayer Leverkusen has the team leading the Bundesliga by seven points.
Xabi Alonso is top of the Bundesliga and is the man linked to replace Jurgen Klopp
But what about the man who doesn’t play football?
They are now very much on track to win the Bundesliga for the first time in their 120-year existence.
Alonso has developed a solid coaching reputation thanks to his creative and appealing style of football.
It is unclear if he will be the right man to succeed leaving Jurgen Klopp at Anfield because there are a lot of other options to take into account.
However, what about the individual who isn’t near the pitch or tactic board?
Star-crossed romantics
Alonso and Nagore Aranburu are wed.
2009 saw the couple’s wedding, which took place a month before Alonso moved from Liverpool to Real Madrid.
When Alonso was still a teenager and playing for Real Sociedad, a boyhood club, they got together.
Together, Alonso and Nagore are parents to three children: Emma was born in 2013, Ane was born in 2010, and Jontxe was born in 2008.
Xabi Alonso married wife Nagore Aranburu in 2009
Alonso was a student at Real Sociedad when they first met.
Nagore has experience as a fashion designer, actress, and model.
However, one amusing story occurred during her time spent working as a Liverpool hotel receptionist.
Former Reds star and Alonso’s teammate Peter Crouch remembered their initial encounter with Nagore.
Before Jamie Carragher and other Liverpool teammates informed Crouch that Nagore was seeing Alonso, Crouch declared his love for the woman at first sight.
“When I signed with Liverpool, I stayed at the Hope Street Hotel,” he stated.
“There was a really attractive girl at reception who had me in stitches every time I looked at her.
The couple have three children together
They’ve always managed to find time for fun days out together, even with hectic job schedules.
“Honestly, I think I may have a shout here because she’s so beautiful,” I said to the guys in training. “Tell them again, Crouchie,” Jamie Carragher called a few other veteran players over.
“It’s amazing that I did.” Having dark hair. Spanish-looking. Yes, I am within. She turned out to be the partner of Xabi Alonso.
She was working on honing her English abilities a little. He handled it nicely. She was also. Carra less so.
Even though they lead hectic lives, Alonso and Nagore have consistently made time for each other.
During Oktoberfest celebrations, Alonso and Nagore were a common sight while they were at Bayern Munich.
The two were seen strolling along the beach after Alonso’s football retirement in 2017 while on a family vacation in California.
Alonso has also disclosed that the couple enjoys taking family road trips up mountains and visiting museums.
Alonso and Nagore were often sighted at Oktoberfest celebrations
Alonso revealed the family used to enjoy mountain car rides
Alonso and Nagore leading luxurious lifestyles
Modelling and Petrolhead
Maybe it’s a reflection of his exquisite playing style, but everytime Alonso is seen driving, the vehicle has a sophisticated appearance.
Additionally, he has a similar sense of style.
Alonso enjoys driving vintage beamers; he has several Instagram images in which he is seen operating a range of vintage vehicles.
Alonso posed for Porsche and Adidas as they debuted their clothing lines and the Porsche Design Sport SS17 during his stay in Munich.
Alonso served as a model for the Adidas Porsche Design Sport SS17 launch.
The two are truly the model couple, as evidenced by their photo shoot for Adidas Porsche Design Sport SS17.
He would, however, drive a pretty unassuming Audi to training instead of his vintage Mercedes 190 SL convertible.
Today, the estimated cost of that car is between £70,000 and £166,000.
In an interview with Mr Porter, Alonso – who has been likened to James Bond – is seen driving a Porsche 356 and not looking one bit out of place.
One thing Alonso can’t stand is the idea of tattoos on his body.
In a 2016 interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Alonso said: “They [friends] know that they have zero chance with me.
“By the way, I am not against tattoos in principle. It may well be that this looks cool on others.
“But not for me. I just can’t imagine myself with piercings, chains or anything else. Obviously, I’m hopelessly old-fashioned.”
Alonso has always championed a sleek fashion style
He is unable to support having tattoos on his body.
Unique moments resemble watch links.
Even though he seems elegant most of the time, Alonso doesn’t dress to impress.
When he does, though, he goes all out, with watches serving as the focal point of his outfit.
Special times in Alonso’s life and career have been compared to links in a watch.
He told The Journal: “For me, every special moment is bound to be linked to a particular watch, and whenever I put it on I’m transported back to that moment – such as when we won the Champions League with Liverpool or the World Cup with Spain.”
A IWC Steel Ingenieur Automatic 40, £10,500, similar to the one Alonso was given
Alonso displays one of his numerous watches while travelling with Nagora to London.
He owns watches made by Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Franck Muller, Panerai, and Patek Philippe, but he isn’t really willing to show them off to avoid coming across as pompous.
According to Watches of Switzerland, the most sentimental and prized item in his collection is the IWC Ingenieur, which he received as a gift from Nagora on their wedding day. It is valued at approximately £10,500.
Alonso says of the exquisite watch: “It symbolises that I’ve found a woman who has considered my personality, my likes, and myself.”
“I wear it only on really special occasions—not very often.”
IWC watches, according to Alonso, “have a certain sophistication without being flashy” and “are not overly showy, attention-grabbing watches.”
“You can tell a lot about a man from the shoes he’s wearing and the watch he’s wearing,” goes an old proverb.
And it appears like Alonso approaches things with a straightforward yet exquisite efficiency.