Since announcing his arrival in the 2007-2008 season, Axel Witsel has been considered one of the brightest midfield talents. In his only season with Benfica he proved he could hold the midfield against the tough opposition. When it was suspected that he would be picked up by a leading European club, he decided to move to Russia and Zenit Saint Petersburg offered him a lucrative contract. When he later left Zenit Saint Petersburg , he was again accused of choosing money over football when he decided to move to China. However, he defended his decision by saying a contract worth €20m a year would secure his family’s future.

Born name

Axel Laurent Angel Lambert Witsel

nickname

Boat

Sun sign

Capricorn

Place of birth

Liege, Belgium

Residence

Dortmund, Germany

nationality

training

Axel Witsel improved his football skills at the Belgian club’s youth development. Standard Liège .

occupation

Professional soccer player

family

• Father – Thierry Witsel
• Mother – Sylvie Witsel
• Siblings – Whitney Witsel (Sister)

Manager

Axel Witsel is represented by Paul Stefani.

Position

Defensive Midfield, Attacking Midfield, Central Midfield

Shirt Number

28 – Standard Liège, SL Benfica, Zenit St. Petersburg, Tianjin Quanjian, Borussia Dortmund

6, 10, 16, 20 – Belgium national team

To build

Athletic

Height

186 cm (6 ft 1¼ in)

weight

80 kg or 176 lbs

girlfriend/spouse

Axel Witsel dated –

1. Rafaella Szabo (2009 – Present) – In June 2015, he married his girlfriend, Rafaella Szabo, who is of Hungarian and Romanian descent. They had been together for 6 years when they decided to get married. Over the course of their relationship, she gave birth to two daughters – Mai Li and Evy.

race/ethnicity

multiracial

He has French-Caribbean (Martiniquais) ancestry on his father’s side and Belgian ancestry on his mother’s side.

hair colour

dark brown

eye color

Blau

sexual orientation

Just

distinguishing features

Afro hairstyle

brand promotion

Axel Witsel has a personal endorsement deal with Adidas and because of the terms of the deal, he only wears Adidas boots for his professional matches.

Known for

• An integral part of the Belgium national team. He has represented his country at many high-profile tournaments including the 2014 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
• After some of the established European clubs were represented, including Standard Liège , Benfica , Borussia Dortmund , and Zenit Saint Petersburg .

First football game

In September 2006, at the age of 17, Axel Witsel made his debut with Standard Liège in a match against FC Brussels . In the 89th minute he was used as a substitute by Steven Defour.

In September 2014 he made his first appearance for Zenit Saint Petersburg in a Russian Premier League match against Terek Grozny . His team lost the match 2-0.

In August 2018 he made his debut for Borussia Dortmund in a DFB-Pokal first round match against SpVgg Greuther Fürth . He came on as a second-half substitute and scored an injury-time equalizer in his side’s 2–1 win.

In March 2008 he made his first international appearance in Belgium’s friendly against Morocco. His team lost 4-1 but it was a memorable game for him as he scored his side’s only goal.

Strengthen

• pass
• tackle
• positional awareness
• reading the game
• physical presence
• Working speed
• Strength

weaknesses

His discipline has been an issue throughout his career. Due to the physical nature of his game, he ends up taking too many cards.

Axel Witsel facts

1. The 2007/2008 season with Standard Liège proved to be his breakthrough season as he led his side to the Belgian league title. At the end of the season he was declared Belgian Young Footballer of the Year .
2. In August 2009 he was involved in a major controversy when Marcin Wasilewski broke his leg in a league match at Anderlecht . He had Wasilewski stamped on the ankle and received a red card. However, he protested the red card, claiming it was just an accident.
3. After enduring criticism from pundits and fans for his despicable actions, he issued a public apology. He was also handed an 8-match ban from the Belgian Football Association.
4. In July 2011 he joined SL Benfica in a 5 year deal. The Portuguese club immediately tried to protect their new fortune by including a €40m buyout clause in his contract.
5. In April 2012, Axel became man of the match in the Taça da Liga final. He delivered a dominating performance in the heart of midfield against Gil Vicente .
6. In recognition of his excellent performances for Benfica in the 2011–12 season, he was included in O Jogo Team of the Year .
7. In September 2012 Zenit Saint Petersburg paid 40 million euros to Benfica to acquire Witsel. He scored his first two goals for the Russian club in November 2012 in a 4–2 demolition of Spartak Moscow .
8. During his 5 seasons with Zenit Saint Petersburg he managed to win Russian Football Premier League, Russian Cup and Russian Super Cup.
9. While Axel was being courted by leading European clubs like Chelsea and Napoli , he decided to seal a surprise move to Tianjin Quanjian in January 2017. He was criticized by fans and pundits alike for making a move purely for money.
10. In August 2018, it was announced that Witsel had returned to Europe with a move to Borussia Dortmund . He signed a 4-year contract with the German club.
11. In August 2018, he scored his first Bundesliga goal with an overhead kick in his side’s 4–1 draw RB Leipzig . It was also his first Bundesliga appearance.
12. He was appointed ambassador of Damien Action The Belgian non-profit foundation helps fight leprosy, tuberculosis and leishmaniasis. The organization provides medicines to more than 250,000 people every year.
13. Visit his official website @ axelwitsel28.com.
14. Follow Axel Witsel on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.