Xabi Alonso at Shangay
It’s the continuation of Xabi Alonso week!
Xabi is the latest Real Madrid player to feature in the gay fashion/lifestyle magazine, Shangay (Sergio Ramos had previously made an appearance). They spoke to him during the launch of Gillette’s moisturizing aftershave. I’m all translated out from doing the last Xabi magazine article, so here are the highlights from the article:
on Mourinho: he’s a great guy, he has a very thought out way of working and he knows what he has to do in each moment.
on the locker room: we all get along very well.
on Alberto Contador: he’ll always be a champion to me.
on what he does every day: right now I’m focused on my sport and my children, and between those two I don’t have much time for anything else.
on his favorite places to travel to: I love going on getaways to Rome, Paris or London, which is one of my favorite cities. Bangkok impressed me, and one of my favorite hotels, the Park Hyatt, is there. If I want to relax, I go to the Seychelles. I would like to go to Australia and New Zealand.
on what a perfect morning consists of: going out to have breakfast with my wife, and having orange juice, coffee with milk, a croissant and two hours to read all the newspapers.
on what he’s currently reading (Xabi prefers to read recently published books): Daniel Estulin’s Conspiración Octupus and Antonio Salas’ El palestino (at the same time).
on movies: I go to the cinema regularly. I didn’t really like George Clooney’s The American. I did like the one from Woody Allen a lot, in part because it was shot in London.
on music: Andrés Calamaro (I was at his concert 15 days ag0), Joaquín Sabina, Quique González, Coldplay.
on technology: I have everything from Apple – a desktop computer, a Macbook, an iPad – except the mobile phone, which is a Blackberry. I go online everyday, and I like going to the web site of National Geographic, and I also like poking around eBay. [Seriously, could he get more perfect?]
on city living and San Sebastián: I like it a lot, I’m a city boy, and if the city is by the sea… perfect. San Sebastián is a perfect city in that respect, and if you want to find me, look for me in the old neighborhood of this city, in the pintxo bars.
on his favorite restaurants in Madrid: La Manduca de Azagra, Julián de Tolosa, Kabuki for Japanese food… Madrid has an incredible selection.
on his favorite restaurant for Basque food: Elkano, in Getaria, never disappoints. [Next time I go there, I’m stalking the restaurant.]
on his day to day beauty routine: basic hygiene, with shower gel, shampoo, deodorant. A bit of cream for the hair, a moisturizer like this one from Gillette, which I love, and cologne (he uses Bvlgari Man).
on fashion: the last thing I bought was a winter coat. I go crazy for watches.
on life after football: I debate between maintaining ties to football or leaving everything behind and dedicating myself to something completely different.
on if he ever does crazy things: I let myself do something crazy once in a while. But I can’t tell you what.
Pictures are from here, thanks to Michelle for directing me there.
OMG! Xabi’s perfectness seriously frightens me. The man’s got to have some flaws, right..Or may be he’s not human…Anyway, he has completely ruined other men for me 🙂
i used to be an all out iker girl until recently, the perfection that is xabi alonso wandered into my life and i can’t help but fall for his incredible charms 🙂 xabi, you and iker are both so perfect that i just can’t be bothered to choose just one of you to ❤
>I let myself do something crazy once in a while. But I can’t tell you what.
tease!!
I know! Your teasing worked Xabi- I really want to know what that crazy something is…
posing for other gay magazines…????!!!!
……and kissing other guys 😛
posing for gay mags isn’t crazy, it’s admirable, because it shows, that he isn’t homophobic.
@Wendy:
😀
Im with you 100% Pam, gotta love Xabi for his open mind, Sergio too since he posed for the same mag….anyone on twitter should follow red card homophobia, @RChomophobia 😉
100% with Maisoun and Pam! I love that Xabi (and Sergio before him) is confident enough to appear in a magazine like this — many straight athletes in the US would have been advised not to, for fear of backlash. And when you are one of the beloved and respected campeones del mundo, it can only be a positive step. 🙂 @RCHomophobia all the way!
As much as I ALWAYS appreciate Sergio photos, why oh why did you have to include that horrible photo shoot? 😦 Trust me, there is no need for reminders of that occasion, especially that first picture where he has scarecrow hair..
Anyways, Xabi! It baffles me how such a wonderful, sophisticated, athletic, handsome, elegant (and not to mention GINGER!) man exists out there. Surely a man with so many great qualities should be shared around 😉
Xabi week was great! *shuts eyes and desperately hopes for a soon to come Sexio week*
Lmao “scarecrow hair”! I cant remember where I read it but someone had called Sergio out for this photoshoot calling that look he’s giving us his “Zoolander” face lol Sergio THEN and Sexio NOW….two TOTALLY different men, to me it doesnt even really look like him in that shoot….but im with you, WHEN IS SEXIO WEEK?!?!
You’re right– that shoot really doesn’t look like him at all! No smiling 😦
Another great interview. I hope he decides to stay in football once he is done playing (which is hopefully a long way away!). Very sharp of him to get a Gillette product reference in there too – this boy is good. Interesting reading choices as well, Estulin’s stuff is not what one would call fluff reading. I agree he does seem too perfect, doesn’t he – the man must have some flaws, I bet he leaves the top off the toothpaste 🙂
or maybe he squeezes the toothpaste …. from the MIDDLE of the tube!!! oh dear… just the thought…
Haha! Ah yes, that would be the ultimate sin.
Hey man,
Thanks for the translation! Great article. I contacted you about this website. Check your gmail!
Thanks!
“Daniel Estulin’s Conspiración Octupus ” does that have anything to do with Paul at all?
Is it any wonder that this man made me a Real Madrid fan?
gorgeous man!!!!!
just wondering what’s pinxto?
Basque tapas – a piece of bread with something on top (fish, tortilla, peppers, etc.) held together by a toothpick. They’re usually eaten as snacks with a beer or wine or cider.
okay, I’m obsessed with Cesc, but good God, Xabi is sooo perfect it’s almost sickening.
the fact that he also loves Entourage (from his Tweet :p) and listens to Coldplay makes him more adorable
damn you Mr Classy!
Always had been one of my favourite players. This just made him even more perfect in my eyes 🙂
He could choose to do something different than football, but he’ll never disconnect completely from it… No footballer can. It’s like saying a (real, dedicated) teacher will stop teaching. They never do really retire. It’s in their blood.
i love u xabi