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Axel Laurent Angel Lambert Witsel is a Belgian professional footballer for the Belgium national team. A versatile midfielder, Witsel is known for his defensive intelligence, vision, playmaking ability, ball retention, and capacity to control the tempo of matches. He has primarily played as a defensive midfielder or central midfielder, but has also been deployed as a centre-back.
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sports · Belgian footballer (born 1989) · association football player · also Axel Witsel, Axel Laurent Angel Lambert Witsel, Witsel
Born 12 January 1989 · Q151838
64 published statements · 0 followers
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Public attention spiked: 3,133 Wikipedia readers in one day, 3.6× the usual 876, with 0 article edits.
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Public attention spiked: 60,317 Wikipedia readers in one day, 68.9× the usual 876, with 3 article edits. Editors noted: upd nationalcaps
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Public attention spiked: 25,689 Wikipedia readers in one day, 29.3× the usual 876, with 6 article edits. Editors noted: Atlético Madrid tonal change
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Public attention spiked: 10,429 Wikipedia readers in one day, 11.9× the usual 876, with 0 article edits.
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Public attention spiked: 3,262 Wikipedia readers in one day, 3.7× the usual 876, with 0 article edits.
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Public attention spiked: 6,877 Wikipedia readers in one day, 7.9× the usual 876, with 0 article edits.
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Yahoo! Sports: The farewells continue: Axel Witsel leaves Atlético Madrid
Played for Girona FC (2025–2026) — 32 appearances, 1 goals.
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Forbes: Axel Witsel The Latest Player To Rock The Boat At Atletico Madrid With Demand For Game Time
Played for Atlético Madrid (2022–2025) — 82 appearances, 2 goals.
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Won the German DFB-Pokal with Dortmund (2020-2021).
Won: DFB-Pokal with Borussia Dortmund (2020–21).
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Won award: DH The Best Standard Liège Team Ever (2020).
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Published video “AW COLLECTION X DAZN X ROC NATION SPORTS”.
Won the German DFL-Supercup with Dortmund (2019).
Won: DFL-Supercup with Borussia Dortmund (2019).
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Published video “Axel Witsel Speaks About His New Collection - AW28”.
Third place: FIFA World Cup with Belgium (2018).
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FIFA World Cup qualification, both in wide victories over Gibraltar
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Played for Borussia Dortmund (2018–2022) — 105 appearances, 10 goals.
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Published video “Axel Witsel gives rythym to Tianjin fans after big win against Guangzhou”.
Published video “Tianjin Quanjian celebrate big win against Guangzhou Evergrande”.
Joined Tianjin Quanjian in 2017.
Played for Tianjin Tianhai F.C. (2017–2018) — 36 appearances, 5 goals.
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Published video “Zenit's Mannequin Challenge”.
Published video “Axel Witsel on Zenit's win vs Spartak Moscow”.
Won the Russian Cup with Zenit St Petersburg (2015-2016).
Won: Russian Cup with Zenit (2015–16).
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Published video “Davai Davai op!”.
Published video “Axel Witsel and Yuri Lodygin attend autograph session”.
Published video “Axel Witsel Dizzy Penalty Challenge”.
Published video “Axel Witsel reflects on Zenit's draw in Krasnodar”.
Won: Russian Super Cup with Zenit (2015).
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Won: Russian Football Premier League with Zenit (2014–15).
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2018, 2022 and 2026, and the UEFA European Championship in 2016, 2020 and 2024, helping them to third place in the 2018 tournament
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Won: Taça da Liga with Benfica (2011–12).
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Won award: O Jogo Team of the Year (2012).
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Played for FC Zenit Saint Petersburg (2012–2016) — 121 appearances, 16 goals.
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Joined Zenit St Petersburg in 2012.
Won: Belgian Cup with Standard Liège (2010–11).
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Played for S.L. Benfica (2011–2012) — 32 appearances, 1 goals.
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Joined Benfica in 2011.
Won the Belgian Pro League with Standard (2008-2009).
Won: Belgian Pro League with Standard Liège (2008–09).
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Won: Belgian Supercup with Standard Liège (2009).
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Won the Belgian Pro League with Standard (2007-2008).
Won Belgian Golden Shoe (2008).
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Won: Belgian Pro League with Standard Liège (2007–08).
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Won: Belgian Supercup with Standard Liège (2008).
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Won award: Belgian Young Footballer of the Year (2007–08).
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Won award: Belgian Golden Shoe (2008).
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Played for Belgium men's national football team (2008) — 136 appearances, 12 goals.
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And earned his 100th cap for Belgium on 15 November 2018
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Played for Belgium national under-21 football team (2007–2009) — 10 appearances, 0 goals.
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Earning nine caps as well as helping his side reach the semi-finals of the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
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Played for Belgium national under-18 football team (2006–2007) — 5 appearances, 0 goals.
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Played for Standard Liège (2006–2011) — 148 appearances, 34 goals.
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Played for Belgium national under-19 football team (2006–2006) — 3 appearances, 0 goals.
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Joined Standard in 2006.
Played for Belgium national under-17 association football team (2005–2006) — 19 appearances, 0 goals.
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Played for Belgium national under-16 association football team (2005–2005) — 2 appearances, 0 goals.
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Played for Belgium national under-15 association football team (2004–2004) — 1 appearances, 0 goals.
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Joined Standard in 1999.
Born 1989-01-12.
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