Former Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso announces his retirement

Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso announced his retirement on his Twitter account.

The Spanish midfielder played five seasons for Real Madrid after signing away from Liverpool in the summer of 2009. He won one La Liga title, two Copas del Rey and also La Decima with the club and the Spanish Supercup.

Alonso was an undisputed starter for Madrid during his tenure in the Spanish capital and a key player for Pellegrini, Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti. He missed the 2014 Champions League Final after getting booked in the Semifinals against Bayern Munich.

He has expressed his desire to become a coach in the future and his understanding of the game should definitely be helpful if he does follow that path.

Alonso led by example and became one of the most beloved players within Real Madrid, although his decision to join Bayern Munich just some days before the transfer window closed was questionable at the time.