Axel Witsel
Axel Witsel was born in Liège, Wallonia, Belgium on January 12th, 1989 and is the Soccer Player. At the age of 35, Axel Witsel biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.
At 35 years old, Axel Witsel has this physical status:
Axel Laurent Angel Lambert Witsel (born 12 January 1989) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays for German club Borussia Dortmund.
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. He began his career at hometown club Standard Liège, making 183 appearances and scoring 42 goals while winning five domestic trophies.
He was awarded the Belgian Golden Shoe in 2008.
After a season in Portugal with S.L. Benfica, he signed for Zenit Saint Petersburg for a €40 million fee in 2012.
Witsel won four honours during his time in Russia, before leaving for Tianjin Quanjian in January 2017.
He returned to Europe with Borussia Dortmund in August 2018. Witsel made his senior international debut in 2008 and earned his 100th cap for Belgium on 15 November 2018.
He represented the country at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup, helping them to third place in the last tournament.
Personal life
Witsel has three children. He is of Martiniquais descent through his father. He was a boyhood Arsenal fan.
Club career
A 17-year-old Witsel made his début with Standard Liège in 2006 during a friendly match against FC Brussels, when he replaced Steven Defour in the 89th minute. He made his European debut as a substitute eleven days later.
He was a key player in Standard Liège's squad, winning the Belgian League championship that year at 18 years old. He formed a very young midfield with fellow Belgian talents Defour and Marouane Fellaini during the year. He scored the winning goal from the penalty spot in a two-legged playoff to determine the championship in the following season.
Witsel sparked controversy by breaking Marcin Wasilewski's leg by stamping on his ankle during a match between Anderlecht and Standard on August 30th. Witsel threwled the red card after it was discovered that the incident was an accident without intention before being sent off the field. He apologized shortly, but several media outlets and numerous suicide threats from angry Anderlecht and Poland supporters followed him shortly. The Belgian Football Association's initial ban was suspended on appeal until November 23rd, but it was later reduced to eight matches.
On July 13, 2011, Witsel signed with Portuguese club Benfica on a five-year contract, with a €40 million buyout clause. In the Champions League play-off second leg victory over FC Twente on August 24, 2011, Witsel defeated FC Twente 22-02, bringing the Champions League play-off second leg to a 5–3 aggregate victory to Benfica.
On the 9th of January 2012, he scored the first goal in Vitória de Guimares' 4-1 thrashing in the Taça da Liga. In a 4–1 league loss to Vitória de Settbal, he later assisted Nolito. In a Taça da Liga match against Santa Clara on January 18, Witsel scored his fourth goal against Santa Clara. Benfica won their fourth Taça da Liga title with a 2–1 victory over Gil Vicente and Witsel on April 14th, earning the Man of the Match award for their fourth Taça da Liga title.
After signing a five-year contract, Witsel signed for Zenit Saint Petersburg on September 3, 2012. On September 14, Witsel made his Russian Premier League debut, replacing Konstantin Zyryanov in the 70th minute when Zenit lost 2–0 to Terek Grozny. Zenit defeated Spartak Moscow 4–2 at the Luzhniki Stadium on November 30th, achieving his first two goals for the club. As his team cruised to a 3–0 league win, Witsel scored Zenit's winner against Terek Grozny on March 30, 2013, his eighth-minute strike.
Witsel scored Zenit's second goal in Zenit's first match of the 2014-15 UEFA Champions League group stage on September 16, 2014, beating former club Benfica by 2–0 away. Zenit was drafted into the Europa League knockout phase after placing third in their Champions League group; in the first leg of their Round of 16 match against Torino on March 12, the Italian club defeated the Italian club 2–0. Zenit defeated Arsenal Tula in a league match at the Petrovsky Stadium on April 26, Witsel scored the game's only goal in the seventeenth minute. Witsel played the full 90 minutes as Zenit defeated FC Ufa 11-01, the club's fourth overall and Witsel's first with Zenit, respectively.
Witsel won a 4–2 penalty shoot-out victory over FC Lokomotiv Moscow after the match had finished 1–1.
Zenit officially revealed that Witsel had joined Chinese side Tianjian Quanjian on January 3rd.
In a 2–0 loss to Guangzhou R&F on March 4, 2017, Witsel made his Quanjian debut. In a 1–1 draw with Shanghai Greenland Shenhua, the club's first goal in the Chinese Super League was scored a week later.
Witsel signed for Borussia Dortmund, Germany, on August 6th, 2018 and agreed to a four-year deal, which will run until June 2022. He scored an equalizing goal in the stoppage time to make it 1–1 on his first appearance for the club against SpVgg Greuther Fürth in the DFB-Pokal first round match, and later his side won the game in the extra time with a 2-1 triumph. In a 4–1 victory over RB Leipzig on August 26, Witsel scored his first Bundesliga goal on his debut for the club in the league with an overhead kick.
After his deal with Borussia Dortmund came to an end, Atlético Madrid announced on July 7th 2022 that Witsel had signed for the club on a one-year deal via a free transfer. Witsel, a manager under Diego Simeone, began playing as a defender in the back three of a 5-3–2 formation.
International career
He appeared on the under-21 team in 2007, winning nine caps while also assisting his team in reaching the 2007 European Under-21 Football Championship semi-finals.
Witsel made his international debut against Morocco on March 26, 2008. The game ended in a 1–4 loss, but Witsel scored his first goal for Belgium.
In the sixth minute against Austria in Group A of the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying process, Witsel's first goal in a competitive international match came a day after the Morocco goal in the sixth minute, and his second will come in the second half. However, Belgian hopes of qualifying for UEFA Euro 2012 were shattered on October 11, 2011 by a loss to Germany and Turkey's victory over Azerbaijan.
Witsel was named in Belgium's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on May 13, 2014. In the team's first game of the tournament, he started in midfield, a 2–1 victory over Algeria in Belo Horizonte.
Witsel also played in the Belgian squad at UEFA Euro 2016, which was announced on May 31. In a Group E match against the Republic of Ireland, he scored his first tournament goal during the Championships.
In 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying, he scored twice, both in wide victories over Gibraltar. Roberto Martez, the manager of the Russian national team, selected him in the team for the final tournament.