| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Abel Luís da Silva Costa Xavier | ||
| Date of birth | (1972-11-30)30 November 1972 (age 53)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Nampula,Mozambique | ||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Right-back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1990–1993 | Estrela da Amadora | 85 | (5) |
| 1993–1995 | Benfica | 45 | (4) |
| 1995–1996 | →Bari (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 1996–1998 | Real Oviedo | 58 | (0) |
| 1998–1999 | PSV | 19 | (2) |
| 1999–2002 | Everton | 43 | (0) |
| 2002–2003 | Liverpool | 14 | (1) |
| 2003 | →Galatasaray (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | Hannover 96 | 5 | (0) |
| 2005 | Roma | 3 | (0) |
| 2005–2007 | Middlesbrough | 18 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | LA Galaxy | 21 | (0) |
| Total | 330 | (13) | |
| International career | |||
| 1988–1989 | Portugal U16 | 14 | (1) |
| 1989 | Portugal U17 | 6 | (0) |
| 1988–1990 | Portugal U18 | 9 | (0) |
| 1990–1991 | Portugal U20 | 9 | (0) |
| 1991–1994 | Portugal U21 | 21 | (1) |
| 1993–2002 | Portugal | 20 | (2) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2013 | Olhanense | ||
| 2014–2015 | Farense | ||
| 2015 | Aves | ||
| 2016–2019 | Mozambique | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Abel Luís da Silva Costa Xavier (Portuguese pronunciation:[ɐˈβɛlʃɐviˈɛɾ]; born 30 November 1972) is a Portuguese footballmanager and former professionalfootballer who played as aright-back.
Xavier played for clubs in Portugal, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, England, Turkey and Germany before retiring with theLA Galaxy ofMajor League Soccer (MLS) in 2008. He represented bothMerseyside rivalsEverton andLiverpool in thePremier League. While atMiddlesbrough he was the first Premier League player to test positive forperformance-enhancing substances, and was banned for one year.
From his debut in 1993, Xavier played 20 games for thePortugal national team, and was selected in their squads forUEFA Euro 2000 and2002 FIFA World Cup. He later became a manager for several Portuguese clubs and theMozambique national team.
Xavier debuted in thePortuguese top division withEstrela da Amadora. His play there earned him a transfer toLisbon clubBenfica. He helped Benfica win the Portuguese league in 1994, and a season after, he moved toSerie A sideBari. This stint with the Italian club started a series of transfers across Europe: in 1996, Xavier was sent toReal Oviedo, then after two seasons he moved toPSV.
Xavier joined EnglishPremier League clubEverton in September 1999 on a £1.5 million transfer deal. He was sold to Everton'sMerseyside rivalsLiverpool on 30 January 2002 for £800,000. He was signed to bolster Liverpool's defence followingMarkus Babbel's absence through illness.[3] Xavier scored on his Liverpool debut againstIpswich Town.[4] He also scored againstBayer Leverkusen in theUEFA Champions League.[5] Liverpool ended the2001–02 FA Premier League season as runners-up toArsenal.
Xavier started the first four league games of the2002–03 FA Premier League season but later argued with Liverpool managerGérard Houllier and did not feature in any of the remaining games, though he did play in a League Cup tie against Ipswich in December.[6] On 29 January 2003, he was loaned to Turkish sideGalatasaray for the remainder of the season, with an option of a permanent move in the summer.[7] Galatasaray did not take up the option to sign Xavier, who subsequently played forHannover 96 (2003–04) andRoma in 2004–05.
At the start of the 2005–06 season, Xavier was without a club but at the end of August, he signed forMiddlesbrough to replaceMichael Reiziger after the Dutchman was sold to PSV.[8]
Following theUEFA Cup tie againstSkoda Xanthi on 29 September, Xavier was administered a drugs test and failed.[9] On 23 November 2005, he was found guilty of using theanabolic steroidmethandrostenolone (also known asdianabol), and banned from professional football for 18 months.[10] He said that the substance came from anti-virus medicine that he had imported from the United States.[10] While other players had failed tests for recreational substances, Xavier became the first Premier League player to be found guilty of using performance-enhancing drugs.[11] The suspension caused him to miss Middlesbrough's run to the2006 UEFA Cup final. Xavier remained employed by the club and unsuccessfully appealed the decision; in January 2006 he said that he would take UEFA to theCourt of Arbitration for Sport.[12]
Xavier's ban was shortened to 12 months in June 2006, making him eligible to play again from November 2006.[13] In the summer of 2006, he began training again with Middlesbrough, and on 8 November 2006, was offered a contract with the club for the remainder of the2006–07 season.[14] He scored his first Boro goal on 20 January 2007 in a 5–1 win againstBolton Wanderers at theRiverside Stadium.[15]
On 14 May 2007, it was announced that Xavier was to join theLA Galaxy ofMajor League Soccer (MLS). He played in his first game with the Galaxy on 17 June 2007 at home againstReal Salt Lake, setting up fellow new signingEdson Buddle in a 3–2 win.[16]
Xavier was waived by Los Angeles on 18 July 2008. Later, in an interview to an online football site, Xavier criticised Galaxy managerRuud Gullit and the league itself.[17][18][19] In December 2009, Xavier quit professional football.
Xavier was a part of the Portugal squad which came third at the1989 FIFA U-16 World Championship in Scotland.
Xavier's full international debut forsenior team came on 31 March 1993, away inSwitzerland in qualification for the1994 FIFA World Cup.[20] He played three more matches in the unsuccessful qualification campaign that year and did not play for Portugal again until1998.[21]
Xavier was selected forUEFA Euro 2000 and became one of the key figures in the competition, not only due to playing some of his best football but also due to a distinctly bleached-blonde hairstyle with a matching beard. In the semi-final againstFrance, he went from close to hero, as France goalkeeperFabien Barthez blocked what looked a sure goal, to a villain, when he deflected a shot bySylvain Wiltord near the post in the dying seconds ofgolden goal extra time with his hand.Zinedine Zidane scored the penalty and put France in thefinal. Xavier was initially given a nine-month ban from football for his vociferous protests against refereeGünter Benkö's decision to award the penalty,[22] but it was eventually reduced to six months.[23] In the2002 World Cup, he was part of the squad but played only as a substitute in the final group stage match againstSouth Korea in his final of 20 international appearances.
In July 2013, Xavier signed to be manager of Portuguese top division clubOlhanense for the upcoming2013–14 Primeira Liga season.[24] He was sacked by the club on 28 October 2013, despite beatingArouca in his last match to reach 11th in the table.[25][26]
In December 2014, Xavier signed for another team from theAlgarve,Farense of theSegunda Liga.[26] He left his position on 28 May, afterleading his team to the 11th position.[27]
In July 2015, Xavier signed a one-year deal with another team in the second division,Desportivo das Aves.[28] He was fired in early September after a series of poor results.[29]
On 26 January 2016, he signed a two-year contract as coach of theMozambique national team, starting work on 1 February.[30] In December 2017, with his contract due to expire, he had it extended until the2019 Africa Cup of Nations.[31] After conceding an added-time goal toGuinea, the Black Mambas missed out on the tournament in Egypt but he was assured of a new deal by theMozambican Football Federation; this offer was rescinded after a poor performance at the2019 COSAFA Cup in South Africa.[32]
Xavier was born inMozambique, which was thena Portuguese colony, and moved to Portugal as a child.[30] He settled inJamor in the western suburbs of Lisbon, where he lived in poverty.[33] He grew up in a strictCatholic background.[34] On retiring from his playing career, Xavier converted toIslam.[35] He said that he was initiated into the faith by a brother of the monarch of theUnited Arab Emirates in 2009, who gave him the name Faisal. Xavier said "You can call me Abel, you can call me Faisal or Abel ‘Faisal’ Xavier. Deep down, I wanted to keep the same name, but be recognised by a historical name in Islam".[36]
From 2011 to 2014, Xavier was in a relationship with actress Oceana Basílio.[37] In February 2017, with debts of €1.5 million, bankruptcy proceedings were initiated against him.[38]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Estrela Amadora | 1989–90 | Primeira Divisão | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 1990–91 | Primeira Liga | 22 | 0 | — | 3[c] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 | ||||
| 1991–92 | Segunda Divisão de Honra | 29 | 0 | — | — | — | 29 | 0 | ||||||
| 1992–93 | Segunda Divisão de Honra | 34 | 5 | — | — | — | 34 | 5 | ||||||
| Total | 86 | 5 | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 89 | 5 | |||||
| Benfica | 1993–94 | Primeira Liga | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 8[c] | 1 | 1[d] | 0 | 33 | 2 | |
| 1994–95 | Primeira Liga | 22 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | 5[e] | 0 | 3[d] | 0 | 32 | 3 | ||
| Total | 46 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | 13 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 65 | 5 | |||
| Bari | 1995–96 | Serie A | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||
| Real Oviedo | 1996–97 | La Liga | 27 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 31 | 0 | |||
| 1997–98 | La Liga | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | – | 33 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 59 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 64 | 0 | |||||
| PSV | 1998–99 | Eredivisie | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 7[e] | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | 27 | 2 | |
| Everton | 1999–2000 | Premier League | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 0 | ||
| 2000–01 | Premier League | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 0 | |||
| 2001–02 | Premier League | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 | |||
| Total | 43 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 49 | 0 | ||||
| Liverpool | 2001–02 | Premier League | 10 | 1 | — | — | 5[e] | 1 | — | 15 | 2 | |||
| 2002–03 | Premier League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[g] | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| Total | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 2 | ||
| Galatasaray (loan) | 2002–03 | Süper Lig | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 12 | 0 | |||
| Hannover | 2003–04 | Bundesliga | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| Roma | 2004–05 | Serie A | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| Middlesbrough | 2005–06 | Premier League | 4 | 0 | — | — | 2[h] | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | |||
| 2006–07 | Premier League | 14 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 1 | |||
| Total | 18 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 26 | 1 | |||
| LA Galaxy | 2007 | Major League Soccer | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 5[i] | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | ||
| 2008 | Major League Soccer | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | — | 26 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 332 | 13 | 20 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 35 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 396 | 15 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | 1993 | 4 | 0 |
| 1998 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2000 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 20 | 2 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 October 1998 | Tehelné pole, Bratislava, Slovakia |  Slovakia | 3–0 | 3–0 | Euro 2000 qualifying |
| 2 | 9 October 1999 | Estádio da Luz (1954), Lisbon, Portugal |  Hungary | 3–0 | 3–0 | Euro 2000 qualifying |
| Team | From | To | Record | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | Ref. | |||
| Olhanense | 7 July 2013 | 28 October 2013 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 030.00 | |
| Farense | 1 December 2014 | 28 May 2015 | 27 | 11 | 6 | 10 | 040.74 | |
| Desportivo Aves | 9 July 2015 | 4 September 2015 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 000.00 | |
| Mozambique | 26 January 2016 | 22 July 2019 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 030.77 | |
| Total | 56 | 18 | 15 | 23 | 032.14 | — | ||
Estrela da Amadora
Benfica
PSV
Liverpool
Portugal U17
Portugal U18
Portugal U20
Portugal squads | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
