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Arteta was a BETTER player than best childhood pal Xabi Alonso, coach reveals

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One of the two almost didn
One of the two almost didn't make it as a professional due to their size

THEY are the two hottest young bosses in Europe — the schoolboy soulmates standing on the verge of history.

A pair of amigos whose footballing path began as kickabout pals on the beaches of San Sebastian and has every chance of ending in title-winning triumph.

Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso were in the same youth club qhiquqiqkqihxprw
Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso were in the same youth clubCredit: PA
Alonso is set to make history with Bayer Leverkusen
Alonso is set to make history with Bayer LeverkusenCredit: Getty
The pair played for Antiguoko when they were ten years old
The pair played for Antiguoko when they were ten years old

In North London, Mikel Arteta is driving Arsenal ever closer to being crowned kings of the Premier League after a two-decade drought.

And nearly 400 miles away, Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen could become Bundesliga champions for the first time on Sunday.

It is a remarkable story for the Basque buddies and the tiny Spanish youth club Antiguoko, where they formed the midfield heartbeat as ten-year-olds.

Spectacular New Year fireworks light up London sky as huge crowds celebrate across UK for first time in three yearsSpectacular New Year fireworks light up London sky as huge crowds celebrate across UK for first time in three years

And their former coach, Roberto Montiel, is bursting with pride over his two prize graduates.

Montiel, now vice-president of the amateur club with no adult team, said: “Mikel always played ahead of his age group and showed a lot of maturity despite being a little boy. Right away, we knew he could make it at a professional level.

“He’s the best player I have ever seen at Antiguoko, better even than Alonso, and I think he had the idea of being a coach a long time before he hung up his boots.

“Arteta would watch me coach some of the teams and afterwards bombard me with ideas and suggestions of how to change things around!

“He was still only young but I could see he was engineering the idea of coaching.

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“I would laugh because he’d tell me where my team was failing and  where I had to use the scalpel to make changes!”

While Arteta’s destiny seemed predestined, it was not as immediately obvious with Alonso.

Montiel added: “Xabi was a small lad, who didn’t bulk up until the Under-17s.

“But he organised play very well and was a commanding presence without being very bossy.

Robbie Williams poised to launch his own brand of energy drinks to rival PrimeRobbie Williams poised to launch his own brand of energy drinks to rival Prime

“He was a bit introverted but transformed when on the pitch. He was never someone who needed to shout a lot — a few words was all it took.

“But he was always highly respected and when Xabi said something, everyone respected it.”

Mikel's best player I have ever seen at Antiguoko, better even than Alonso.

Roberto Montiel

Montiel remains close to both Antiguoko’s star pupils.

And the sell-on windfall from Alonso’s sale to Liverpool from Real Sociedad in 2004 paid for a new clubhouse.

Montiel reckons there is something unique about the club that also produced Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola.

He said: “I think it’s because of the demands we put on them as kids, from a very young age.

“It is a culture where they never surrender — Antiguoko is a school of life.”

Phil Thomas

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