Shortly after FC Bayern announced Toni Kroos’ departure to continental rivals Real Madrid last summer, it emerged that Xabi Alonso was to move in the opposite direction. The first impressions of Xabi Alonso were astounding. The midfield maestro himself must have been surprised about how rapidly and seamlessly he integrated into the team, breaking a few records along the way. For a moment, FC Bayern fans forgot Toni Kroos. For a moment, Xabi Alonso looked worth his weight in gold.
That is all in the past now. Fast forward to today and the Internet is awash with articles and social media comments about how Xabi Alonso is looking old and that he’s past it. So how does one exactly go from gold to old in the space of a few months?
He doesn’t. Continue reading