David Alaba

★ Veteran KingDefender · Real Madrid

Caps

Int'l goals

Years

NATION · AUT Austria →

// the read

The shape of him

Defending at a World Cup is a tightrope — one mistake ends a campaign. The profile below is the positional read; the moments that define it come in the knockouts.

// the equation

reading × timing × the last-ditch nerve

the back linethe cover positionthe duel

// the x-factor

The job

The last line of trust.

Read the danger early, time the tackle, marshal the line. At this level the margin between a clean sheet and an early flight is a single lapse.

34Years old

DefenderRole

// the cabinet

Honours

club

Club

Bundesliga

×11

Super Cup

×10

DFB Pokal

×7

UEFA Super Cup

×5

UEFA Champions League

×5

FIFA Intercontinental Cup

×5

La Liga

×3

Copa del Rey

×2

// the closing word

David Alaba.Austria · Defender.The full dossier — season numbers, takes and tape — lands closer to kickoff.

AUTDefenderReal Madrid