Abel Xavier

Football player infobox
playername = Abel Xavier


fullname = Abel Luís da Silva Costa Xavier
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1972|11|30
cityofbirth = Nampula
countryofbirth = Mozambique
height = height|m=1.91
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Defender
years = 1990–1993
1993–1995
1995–1996
1996–1998
1998–1999
1999–2002
2002–2003
2003
2004–2005
2005
2005–2007
2007–2008
clubs = Estrela Amadora
S.L. Benfica
Bari
Real Oviedo
PSV Eindhoven
Everton
Liverpool
Galatasaray
Hannover 96
A.S. Roma
Middlesbrough
Los Angeles Galaxy
caps(goals) = 85 (5)
45 (4)
08 (0)
58 (0)
19 (2)
43 (0)
14 (1)
11 (0)
05 (0)
03 (0)
18 (1)
21 (0)
nationalyears = 1993–2002
nationalteam = Portugal
nationalcaps(goals) = 20 (2)
pcupdate = 4 July 2008

Abel Luís da Silva Costa Xavier, pron. IPA2|ɐ'bɛɫ ʃɐvi'ɛɾ, (born 30 November 1972 in Nampula, Mozambique) is a professional footballer who last played for Los Angeles Galaxy, and is also a former international for Portugal.

Biography

Abel Xavier is a central defender and was a part of the squad for the Portugal national team that participated in U-17 world cup in Scotland.

Xavier debuted in the Portuguese top division with Estrela da Amadora. His play there earned him a transfer to Lisbon giants SL Benfica. He helped Benfica win the Portuguese League in 1994, and a season after, he moved to Serie A side AS Bari. This stint with the Italian club started a series of transfers across Europe: in 1996 Xavier was sent to Real Oviedo, then after two seasons he moved to PSV Eindhoven and then to Premiership club Everton, where he stayed for three years. Xavier was then sold to Merseyside rivals Liverpool where he stayed for two years, then started another set of one-year stints with Galatasaray (2002-2003), Hannover 96 (2003-2004) and finally AS Roma (2004-2005).

In the national team, Xavier missed Euro 96, but came back strong in Euro 2000, and became one of the key figures in the competition: not only due to playing some of his best football but also due to his eye-catching bleached hair and beard. In the semi-final against France he went from close to hero, as Fabien Barthez blocked what looked a sure goal, to a villain, when he deflected a shot by David Trezeguet near the post in the dying seconds of golden goal extra time with his hand. Zinedine Zidane scored the penalty and put France in the final. In the 2002 FIFA World Cup, he was part of the squad, but played only as a substitute in the final group stage match against Republic of Korea.

At the start of the 2005/2006 season Xavier was without a club but at the end of August signed for Middlesbrough F.C. to replace Michael Reiziger once the Dutchman was sold to PSV Eindhoven. Following the UEFA Cup tie against Skoda Xanthi, Xavier was administered a drugs test and failed. On 23 November 2005 he was found guilty of using the anabolic steroid Methandrostenolone (also known as dianabol). Although he has always denied any wrongdoing, the tribunal banned him from professional football for a period of 18 months. Xavier appealed the decision but on 21 December UEFA turned down the appeal. The ban got shortened to 12 months in June 2006, making him eligible to play again from November 2006. [cite web | url = http://www.uefa.com/uefa/Keytopics/kind=64/newsId=435881.html | title = Xavier suspension reduced | accessdate= 2008-07-19 | date = 2006-07-11 | publisher = uefa.com]

In the summer of 2006, Xavier began training with Middlesbrough and on 8 November 2006, was offered a contract with the club for the remainder of the 2006/2007 season.

On 14 May 2007, it was announced that he was to join Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer. He played in his first game with the Galaxy on 17 June 2007 against Real Salt Lake, registering an assist.

Xavier was waived by Los Angeles Galaxy on 18 July 2008. Later in an interview to an online football site, Xavier criticized the functioning of Galaxy manager Ruud Gullit and MLS. [cite web | url = http://la.galaxy.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20080718&content_id=173908&vkey=pr_lag&fext=.jsp&team=t106 | title = Dominguez added to Galaxy roster | accessdate= 2008-07-19 | date = 2008-07-18 | publisher = la.galaxy.mlsnet.com] [cite web | url = http://www.goal.com/en-us/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=786270 | title = Xavier Speaks Out Against Gullit | date = 2008-02-21 | publisher = www.goal.com ] [ cite web | url = http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=787644 | title = McCarthy's Musings: More from Xavier and Welcome to Toronto | date = 2008-02-22]

Honours

Winner
* 1993-94 Portuguese League Championship, with SL Benfica
* 1998-99 Dutch Super Cup, with PSV Eindhoven

Runner Up
* 2001-02 FA Premier League, with Liverpool FC
* 2002-03 Charity Shield, with Liverpool FC
* 2002-03 Turkish Premier Super League, with Galatasaray SK

ee also

* List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences

References

External links

*MLSNet|la|galaxy|t106|xavier_a|xav296636
*soccerbase|id=17482|name=Abel Xavier
* [http://www.footballdatabase.com/index.php?page=player&Id=706&pn=Abel_Luis_Da_Silva_Xavier FootballDatabase career stats]
* [http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=427533&CPID=8&clid=25&lid=2&title=Abel+back+in+Boro+fold SkySports.com - Abel back in Boro fold (08/11/06)]