Alonso: Now I am the coach, but football is the best. I envy the players very much

Hupu News on November 18 Xabi Alonso and Emilio Butragueno, Director of Institutional Relations and General Manager of the Real Madrid European University Sports Institute, are responsible for hosting the opening ceremony of the 2025-26 academic year at the Real Madrid Sports City Auditorium. Xavi Alonso welcomed the students and talked about Real Madrid.

Real Madrid's Values

"Because I experienced these values firsthand as a player, it's natural for me to maintain them. You have to respect the history of Real Madrid and how this great club was built. The pursuit of excellence, that generosity of spirit and the hard work that goes into this club. There's no doubt about it. It's on all levels, not just on the pitch. While the pitch is the brightest part, there are many other aspects that you will come to know about, and this is a very valuable intangible asset at Real Madrid. Desire, this must be understood. "

How to Reach the Elite Level

"I was lucky enough to know from an early age that my passion was to play football, which facilitated the choice of path. Once you choose this path, you have to be willing to commit 100%. It's about getting opportunities. Then if you want to continue to improve, you need that persistence and work ethic, and in my case, I came from a football family and that was the awareness when I became a player, in order to see what is really important.

The reason why I decided to become a coach

"It was my curiosity about the game that inspired me. Now I am a coach, but playing football is the best. I envy the players very much, but this is a healthy envy. I am always curious about the reasons why things happen, maybe this has something to do with my position at the time. This prompted me to get closer to the role of coach. In the last few years of my career, I said to myself: ‘I have to start planning this. ’ I have to be ready to enjoy this new responsibility. I don’t want to move too fast, so I want to take it step by step until I get to where I am now. Try and learn. "

Experiences in other countries

"When I was in college, when I was 22 years old, I went to Liverpool to complete my "university" studies. At the beginning, I listened more and talked less, and I was very observant. Secondly, I must not be afraid, I must have courage and have my own feet. Character, earning respect in a constructive way, and then staying on track to get where you want to be. Expanding my horizons, meeting people from all over the world, and being exposed to other cultures has helped me a lot. If I hadn't had those experiences as a player, I probably wouldn't be here now.