Mikel Alonso facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mikel Alonso

Alonso in 2020
Personal information
Full name	Mikel Alonso Olano
Date of birth	(1980-05-17) 17 May 1980 (age 45)
Place of birth	Tolosa, Spain
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1990–1997	Antiguoko
1997–1998	Athletic Bilbao
1998–1999	Antiguoko
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1999–2002	Real Sociedad B	103	(8)
2001–2008	Real Sociedad	104	(2)
2003–2004	→ Numancia (loan)	10	(1)
2007–2008	→ Bolton Wanderers (loan)	7	(0)
2009–2011	Tenerife	66	(4)
2011–2012	Charlton Athletic	0	(0)
2014–2018	Real Unión	117	(7)
Total		407	(22)
International career
2004–2007	Basque Country	5	(0)
Managerial career
2018–2020	Antiguoko (youth)
2021–2022	Real Sociedad B (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Mikel Alonso Olano was born on May 17, 1980. He is a Spanish former footballer. He played as a midfielder, which is a player who helps both attack and defense.

Mikel spent most of his career playing for Real Sociedad. He played 110 games for them over seven seasons. He also played in La Liga, Spain's top football league, for Real Sociedad and Tenerife. In total, he played 132 games in La Liga. He also played 48 games in the Segunda División, which is Spain's second-highest league.

Alonso also had two short times playing football in England. He finished his playing career at a club called Real Unión.

Club Career Highlights

Starting at Real Sociedad

Mikel Alonso grew up in the youth system of Real Sociedad. His younger brother, Xabi Alonso, also came from the same youth system. Mikel was born in Tolosa, a town in Spain.

He played his first game in La Liga on April 22, 2001. This was against Real Valladolid. Even though he played for Real Sociedad, his brother Xabi and another player, Mikel Aranburu, often played in the central midfield. This meant Mikel Alonso did not always get to play as much.

Loan to Numancia

In the 2003–04 season, Mikel was loaned to Numancia. This team played in the Segunda División. He worked hard to help Numancia try to get promoted to a higher league. However, he still wanted to play for Real Sociedad. He returned to Real Sociedad after the loan.

Becoming a Key Player

Under the coach José Mari Bakero, Mikel became a very important player for Real Sociedad. In the 2005–06 season, he played in 37 games. This showed how much the team relied on him.

Time in England

Mikel's brother Xabi had already moved to England to play for Liverpool in 2004. Mikel also decided to try playing in the Premier League in England.

Playing for Bolton Wanderers

On July 10, 2007, Mikel joined Bolton Wanderers on a loan deal. Bolton Wanderers is another team in the north-west of England. The deal included an option for him to join the team permanently later.

However, the coach, Sammy Lee, was later replaced by Gary Megson. Under the new coach, Mikel did not play as much. He only played in two games. Because of this, Bolton Wanderers decided not to keep him.

Returning to Spain

Mikel went back to Spain for the 2008–09 season. When he returned to the Basque Country, he found out that the coach, Juan Manuel Lillo, did not plan to use him. He even tried out for a Greek team, Olympiacos, but it did not work out. Real Sociedad then let him leave the club as a free agent, meaning he could join any team he wanted.

Playing for Tenerife

After leaving Real Sociedad, Mikel Alonso was offered a chance to train with Swansea City. The coach, Roberto Martínez, was also from Spain. Mikel's brother, Xabi, highly recommended the coach. So, Mikel accepted the offer and trained with the team.

However, Mikel did not stay in Wales. In January 2009, he moved to Tenerife. He joined them for the rest of the 2008–09 season. He said he had "heard good things" about his new team. He still supported Real Sociedad and hoped they would get promoted. Mikel helped Tenerife get promoted back to the top league after seven years.

In the 2009–10 season, Mikel started as a regular player. He even scored a goal with his head in a game against Athletic Bilbao. However, he played less often towards the end of the season. Tenerife was eventually relegated back to the second division.

Joining Charlton Athletic

In June 2011, after Tenerife was relegated again, Mikel Alonso returned to England. He was 31 years old. He joined Charlton Athletic, a club in Football League One.

He played his first official game for Charlton on October 5. It was a cup game against Brentford. He gave away a penalty in that game, and Charlton lost 3–0. Mikel was released by Charlton at the end of the 2011–12 season. He did not play in any of the main league or cup games for them.

Finishing at Real Unión

After almost two years without a club, Mikel Alonso signed with Real Unión on July 14, 2014. This team played in Segunda División B, a lower division in Spain. Four years later, at 38 years old, he announced he was retiring from playing football.

After retiring, Mikel Alonso worked as a manager. He managed at Antiguoko and was an assistant coach for Real Sociedad B. He worked as an assistant to his brother, Xabi, at Real Sociedad B.

International Games

Mikel Alonso played five games for the Basque Country regional team. These games are called "caps" in football.

Family and Football

Mikel Alonso grew up in a family that loved football. His father, Periko Alonso, was also a professional footballer. Periko played for famous clubs like Real Sociedad and Barcelona.

Mikel and his younger brother, Xabi Alonso, would often go to training with their father. Xabi also became a very successful footballer. He played for Real Sociedad, Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich. All three of them – Mikel, Xabi, and their father – played as midfielders.

Mikel followed his father's example and became a professional footballer. He played for the team in San Sebastián, just like his father.

See also

In Spanish: Mikel Alonso para niños