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David Alaba is one of the most promising footballers of the 21st century. An Austrian, he began his career with local side St. Pölten before joining Serie A side Udinese in 2011. Since then, he has gone on to play for Atalanta, Napoli, and currently Real Madrid. He is a holding player who usually plays either as a defensive midfielder or a centre back.
Early Career In St. Pölten
Alaba began his professional career when he was 16 years old for local side SV St. Pölten. In 2002, he signed a professional contract with the club, which at the time was the youngest in the Austrian Bundesliga. He made his debut as a starter in a 0–0 draw against Bundesliga side Bayern Munich in the second round of the German Cup. He immediately became a regular starter in the team. In the following years, he went on to make over 100 appearances for the club, scoring 11 goals. By the way, if you are betting on sports and want to get a bonus code, go to https://odds2win.bet/bonuses/nepal/22bet and collect your bonuses.
Move To Serie A With Udinese
In 2011, 14-year-old Alaba decided to snub the Austrian Bundesliga to join Serie A side Udinese. He had been scouted by club officials while training with St. Pölten and they considered him to be the successor to Paolo De Rossettis. The fee for the transfer was reportedly €5 million, which was a then-record transfer fee for a teenage footballer. He made his Serie A debut on 12 February 2011 in a 1–0 home win against Cesare Prandelli’s Sampdoria. He scored his first goal for the club in a 3–0 away win against Bari on 27 May 2011. He went on to score two more goals in the following three games, assisting on one of them.
In the next season, he played a bit-part role under former Barca midfielder Claudio Caniggiani. However, his role increased under new manager Luigi Delneri, who called him “Elbaionite” (a reference to the character from The Godfather). He scored important goals against Sassuolo and Empoli. He also started in the Europa League and scored the opening goal in a 4–0 win against LASK.
Move To La Liga With Atletico Madrid
In the summer of 2014, after a good performance for Austria during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Alaba was linked with a move to Premier League side Leicester City. However, the move never materialised and instead he joined Atletico Madrid. In Madrid, he was given the number 17 shirt, previously worn by Spanish internationals Juanito, Fernando Torres, and Raul.
In his first season, Alaba started in 14 of the 15 games he played in and scored 5 goals. He played an important role in a 1–0 win against Barcelona in the semi-finals of the Spanish Cup and the UEFA Europa League. At the end of the season, Atletico Madrid won the UEFA Super Cup 3–0 against Chelsea.
In the 2015–16 season, Alaba started in 14 of the 15 games he played in and scored 4 goals. He set up one of the goals in a 3–1 win against Barcelona in the Spanish Cup. In the Europa League, he made a key contribution as Atletico Madrid knocked out Chelsea in the semi-finals with him netting both goals in a 2–0 win.
A Role In Neymar’s Development
In the summer of 2016, after another good performance at the 2016 FIFA World Cup, Alaba decided to further his career in Europe by joining PSV Eindhoven. However, after only one season, he returned to Atletico Madrid due to family reasons. During his time in Eindhoven, he helped Neymar develop as a player and a person. The Brazilian superstar called him “a role model and a friend” and credited him with helping him improve his composure on the pitch.
Stay In Madrid As A Key Player
After spending the previous two years as a squad player, Alaba returned to Atletico Madrid as a key player under new manager Mateusz Matewski. He started in 17 of the 18 games he played in, scoring 3 goals as the team won the UEFA Europa League for a second time. In the final, they beat Juventus 4–2 on penalties after a 2–2 draw following extra time. In the Champions League, Alaba started in 17 of the 18 games as Atletico Madrid reached the quarter-finals. He scored twice in a 4–0 win against Celtic in the round of 16 and provided an assist for Arda Turan in a 2–1 win against Liverpool in the quarter-finals.
In the 2018–19 season, Alaba started in 17 of the 18 games he played in as Atletico Madrid won their third UEFA Europa League title after a 4–0 win against RB Leipzig in the final. He also started in the Spanish Super Cup and played a major role in a 4–0 win against Barca in the final. Alaba scored a hat-trick in a 4–1 win against Levante in the last 16 of the cup. In the Champions League, he started in 16 of the 18 games as Madrid reached the semi-finals. He scored the opening goal in a 1–1 draw against Liverpool in the round of 16 and then netted two goals in a 2–0 win on aggregate against Tottenham in the quarter-finals.
The Promise Of FUT
Alaba’s career is just getting started. At 24 years old, he has plenty of time left to achieve great things. One of the most exciting young players to watch is the promise of football utopia. The game has changed with the implementation of goal-line technology, making it easier for players, especially young ones, to score.
In 2022, he could become the successor to Iker Casillas as Spain’s number 1 for the last 15 years. In terms of football intelligence, vision, and skill, Alaba is simply at another level to the rest of the players. It is an absolute shame that the game’s governing body banned him from wearing a mask in the past. The only thing that stops him being more appreciated is the language barrier. Most people don’t speak or understand Italian, so most likely they wouldn’t have even noticed the greatness that is David Alaba.
