Estrela da
Amadora (Portugal), SL Benfica (Portugal), AS Bari (Italy), Real
Oviedo (Spain), PSV Eindhoven (Holland), Everton FC (England),
Liverpool FC (England), Galatasaray (Turkey), Hannover 96 (Germany),
AS Roma (Italy)
Honours
???
Biography
Abel
Xavier (born November 30, 1972 in Nampula, Mozambique) is a
professional footballer and international for Portugal.
Xavier debuted in the Portuguese top division with Estrela da
Amadora, which would later earn him a transfer to Lisbon giants
SL Benfica. He helped the team lift the championship in 1994,
and a season after, was traded to lowly Serie A side AS Bari.
This stint with the Italian club started a series of quick
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 starting 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 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 Sylvain Wiltord near the post in the dying
seconds of golden goal overtime with his hand. As Zinedine
Zidane scored the penalty and put France in the final, several
players, including Xavier, chased the linesman. While not sent-off
for the penalty or the incident, Xavier was banned for nine
months, later reduced to six. In the 2002 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 in the squad once the Dutchman was sold
to PSV Eindhoven. Following the UEFA Cup tie against FC Xanthi,
Xavier was administered a drugs test and failed. On November 23,
2005 he was found guilty of using a banned substance by a UEFA
tribunal in Nyon, the tribunal decided to ban him from
professional football for a period of 18 months. Xavier appealed
the decision but on December 21 UEFA turned down the appeal.
Xavier is widely regarded as a utility back player but fits the
role of a holding midfielder when the necessity arises. Although
still regarded as one of the original stalwarts of the
Portuguese National team, Xavier's reputation as a footballer
has waned and he will, probably, largely be remembered as one of
the many players who never fulfilled their potential.
