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Axel Witsel

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Place of birth
  
Liege, Belgium

Name
  
Axel Witsel

Children
  
Mai-Li Witsel

2004–2006
  
Standard Liege

Salary
  
3 million EUR (2012)

Number
  
28

Height
  
1.86 m

Playing position
  
Midfielder

Role
  
Footballer


Axel Witsel wwwbenefootnetwpcontentuploads201309AxelW

Full name
  
Axel Laurent Angel Lambert Witsel

Date of birth
  
(1989-01-12) 12 January 1989 (age 26)

Current teams
  
FC Zenit Saint Petersburg (#28 / Midfielder), Belgium national football team (Midfielder)

Parents
  
Thierry Witsel, Sylvie Witsel

Similar People
  
Hulk, Kevin De Bruyne, Marouane Fellaini, Nicolas Lombaerts, Marc Wilmots

Profiles

Beauty football axel witsel welcome to ac milan goals skills assists zenit 20142015 hd


Axel Laurent Angel Lambert Witsel (born 12 January 1989) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays for Chinese club Tianjin Quanjian. During his play for the Belgium national team, he came into the first team as a right-winger, and can also play attacking midfielder, though his natural position is as a central midfielder.

Contents

Axel Witsel Axel Witsel talkSPORT

He made his senior international debut in 2008 and has earned over 70 caps for Belgium, representing the country at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2016.

Axel Witsel Manchester United transfers Witsel reveals Premier League

Axel Witsel vs. Mario Götze - Borussia Dortmund's Whisper Challenge


Standard Liège

Axel Witsel UEFA Champions League Axel Witsel UEFAcom

On 17 September 2006, a 17-year-old Witsel made his debut with Standard Liège during a competitive game against FC Brussels when he replaced Steven Defour in the 89th minute. Eleven days later, he made his European debut as a substitute.

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During the 2007–08 season, at 18 years of age, he was a key member in the squad of Standard Liège, winners of the Belgian League title that year. During this year, he formed a very young midfield together with other Belgian talents Defour and Marouane Fellaini. In the following season, he scored the winning goal from the penalty spot in a two-legged playoff to decide the championship.

On 30 August 2009, Witsel sparked controversy when he broke Marcin Wasilewski's leg by stamping on his ankle during the match between Anderlecht and Standard. Following the tackle, Witsel protested the red card, claiming that it was an accident without intent, before being sent off the pitch. He soon apologised, but was the subject of criticism from several media outlets and numerous death threats from angry Anderlecht and Poland fans. The initial ban until 23 November by the Belgian Football Association, was later reduced on appeal to eight matches.

Benfica

Axel Witsel Axel Witsel to China Belgium star explains snubbing Chelsea and

Witsel signed for Portuguese club Benfica on a five-year deal on 13 July 2011, including a €40 million buyout clause. Witsel scored twice in the 3–1 win against FC Twente, in the Champions League play-off second leg, on 24 August 2011, sending Benfica to the group stages with a 5–3 aggregate victory.

Axel Witsel Axel Witsel Standard Liege Football Pinterest Axel witsel

He scored the opening goal in a 4–1 thrashing of Vitória de Guimarães in the Taça da Liga on 9 January 2012. He then assisted Nolito in a 4–1 league defeat of Vitória de Setúbal. Witsel scored his fourth goal against Santa Clara on 18 January in a Taça da Liga match. Benfica reached the final on 14 April against Gil Vicente and Witsel was awarded the Man of the Match award as Benfica claimed their fourth Taça da Liga title with a 2–1 victory.

Zenit Saint Petersburg

On 3 September 2012, Witsel signed for Zenit Saint Petersburg for €40 million, after signing a five-year contract. Witsel made his debut in the Russian Premier League on 14 September, replacing Konstantin Zyryanov in the 70th minute as Zenit fell 2–0 to Terek Grozny. He scored his first two goals for the club on 30 November when Zenit brushed aside Spartak Moscow 4–2 at the Luzhniki Stadium. Witsel scored Zenit's winner against Terek Grozny on 30 March 2013, an eighth-minute strike, as his side cruised to a 3–0 league victory.

In Zenit's first match of the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League group stage on 16 September 2014, Witsel scored Zenit's second goal in a 2–0 away victory over former club Benfica. After finishing third in their Champions League group, Zenit were parachuted into the Europa League knockout phase; in the first leg of their Round of 16 clash against Torino on 12 March 2015, Witsel scored on a rebound as Zenit defeated the Italian club 2–0. On 26 April, Witsel scored the game's only goal in the seventeenth minute as Zenit defeated Arsenal Tula in a league match at the Petrovskiy Stadium. On Sunday 17 May, Witsel played the full 90 minutes as Zenit drew 1–1 with FC Ufa, earning the point they needed to secure the Premier League crown, the club's fourth overall and Witsel's first with Zenit.

In the 2015 Russian Super Cup on 12 July 2015, Witsel converted his penalty shot in a 4–2 penalty shoot-out victory over FC Lokomotiv Moscow after the match had finished 1–1.

Tianjin Quanjian

On 3 January 2017, Zenit officially announced that Witsel has moved to a Chinese club Tianjin Quanjian.

On 4 March 2017, Witsel made his debut for Quanjian in a 2–0 loss to Guangzhou R&F. A week later he scored the club's first ever goal in the Chinese Super League during a 1–1 draw with Shanghai Greenland Shenhua.

International career

Prior to making his international debut for the senior side, he played for the under-21 side in 2007 earning nine caps as well as helping his side reach the semi-finals of the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.

On 26 March 2008, Witsel made his international debut during a friendly game against Morocco. The match resulted in a 1–4 loss, but Witsel scored his first goal for Belgium.

On 13 May 2014, Witsel was named in Belgium's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He started in midfield in the team's first game of the tournament, a 2–1 win against Algeria in Belo Horizonte.

International goals

As of match played 31 August 2017. Belgium score listed first, score column indicates score after each Witsel goal.

Club

As of match played 11 March 2017

International

As of 10 October 2016

Club

Standard Liege
  • Belgian Pro League: 2007–08, 2008–09
  • Belgian Cup: 2010–11
  • Belgian Supercup: 2008, 2009
  • Benfica
  • Taça da Liga: 2011–12
  • Zenit
  • Russian Football Premier League: 2014–15
  • Russian Cup: 2015–16
  • Russian Super Cup: 2015, 2016
  • Individual

  • Belgian Young Footballer of the Year: 2007–08
  • Belgian Golden Shoe: 2008
  • O Jogo Team of the Year: 2012
  • Personal life

    In June 2015, Witsel married his longtime girlfriend, the Romanian-Hungarian, Rafaella Szabo, with whom he has two children.

    References

    Axel Witsel Wikipedia