Xabi Alonso and his origins in the Antiguoko oasis

The Antiguoko, located next to Ondarreta Beach in the El Antiguo neighborhood of San Sebastián, witnessed Xabi Alonso's first steps as a footballer. He will now face his first adventure as Real Madrid coach in the Club World Cup, which kicks off tomorrow in the United States.

Roberto Montiel, the current vice president and sporting director of Antiguoko, remembers this well. He once coached the current Real Madrid manager and also coached other illustrious former players who are now top-level coaches, such as Mikel Arteta and Andoni Iraola. Alonso was born in Tolosa, but moved to San Sebastián when he was just a child with his family and his older brother Mikel, who was a year older than him. Both developed as footballers at the Donostia-San Sebastián club. “They were always together, and their father never got involved in footballing aspects; he let them grow on their own,” Montiel tells this newspaper. “Xabi was rather short and didn't hit his growth spurt until he was a junior. He struggled a lot in his first year as a cadet because he hadn't yet developed physically,” explains Montiel, who remembers “the excellent positioning on the field and the kicking with both legs” of the younger Alonso brother.

After reaching the semi-finals of the Spanish Youth Championship, where he faced Real Madrid, with a very young Iker Casillas in goal, Xabi Alonso left for Real Sociedad after Athletic Club also made inquiries. That generation of players included Aritz Aduriz and Andoni Iraola at Antiguoko. At the end of the season, both left for the Bilbao club. Xabi Alonso (November 25, 1981) also played alongside Mikel Arteta (March 26, 1982). Although they were not born in the same year, the two players played in several tournaments together because those born after August could compete alongside those from the following year.

Xabi Alonso played in several tournaments with Mikel Arteta and played with Aduriz and Iraola when he was a youth player.

However, this generation of players had a tough time reaching the elite level due to a regulation applied only by the Guipuzcoa Provincial Council, which prevents them from training more than two days a week with their club until they reach the cadet level. Furthermore, the Provincial Council also doesn't allow "children under nine years old to play in a club," requiring them to be registered for school sports, where they practice handball, basketball, and soccer , Montiel explains. As if that weren't enough, Antiguoko shares its field "with four other teams" because in San Sebastián "there's no land because what isn't mountainous is beach," Montiel explains. It's striking that with so many obstacles during these players' training, it's possible that so many have been able to reach the elite level, but the current vice president of the San Sebastián club states that "the Guipuzcoan team is a little different from the rest because it's very competitive. I don't think there's as much sport practiced anywhere else in Spain as here. You never find a free field at any time." Antiguoko “teaches you how to compete and how to handle frustration when you lose,” adds Montiel.

The San Sebastián club has established itself as one of the leading youth teams in the Basque Country thanks to the talent that has emerged there. Athletic Club and Real Sociedad are fully aware of the talent pool that the club from the El Antiguo neighborhood represents and have been fighting for several years to secure an agreement with them. From 2003 to 2020, they had a signed contract with Real Sociedad, and at the end of that contract, they signed another with Athletic until 2030. "In Athletic's current youth division, there are seven players with a history with Antiguoko, while in Real Sociedad's, there are five," Montiel emphasizes.

Even cadets could not train more than two days a week due to a Provincial Council regulation.

Xabi Alonso's eldest son, Jon, played for Igeltegi (a club affiliated with Antiguoko) before the Tolosa native moved to Germany to manage Bayer Leverkusen. Meanwhile, Andoni Iraola, manager of English club Bournemouth, had his first coaching experience at the San Sebastián club, serving as assistant coach of the U19s. His cousin remains linked to the San Sebastián club as a coach. And current Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta "gave 20 jackets to Antiguoko's first team" after signing his first contract as a professional footballer with Adidas, recalls the club's current vice president.