Real Sociedad
Under the guidance of John Toshack, Alonso's captaincy marked a resurgence of form for Real Sociedad. Toshack recognised Alonso's potential and invested much time in his young captain, creating a training method designed to improve his touch and control specifically for him. The team cemented their mid-table position in the 2001-02, finishing in 13th place. Alonso appeared consistently in La Liga with 30 appearances over the course of the season and also scored his first league goal, finishing with a season total of 3. Real Sociedad's management changed again in the summer of 2002 with the arrival of Raynald Denoueix but Alonso's position remained assured.The 2002-03 season saw the club reach heights not reached since their performance in 1987-88 in La Liga. The Basque team finished second, two points behind Real Madrid, setting a club record for their highest ever points total and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League for the first time. Alonso received much praise for his role in the team's success and was given the Best Spanish Player award by Spanish sports magazine Don Balón. In addition, Alonso significantly contributed to the team's goal tally, scoring 12 goals in all competitions. His performances earned Alonso national repute and Iñaki Sáez, the coach of the Spanish national team, called him up for La Selección. Alonso made his international debut in April 2003 in a 4–0 friendly win over Ecuador. Sáez raved over Alonso saying: "He has a fantastic range of accurate passing [and] sees football with an extraordinary clarity".
The 2003-04 season comprised mixed results for Alonso and his San Sebastián club. Alonso revelled in the opportunity to perform in Europe, appearing in all the team's games, and Real Sociedad qualified for the knockout phase of the Champions League. However, the team struggled under the pressure of the extra matches and were promptly knocked out of the tournament by Lyon and finished 15th in La Liga. The combination of Alonso's outstanding performances and the team's poor league finish made a move away from Estadio Anoeta inevitable. Despite interest from La Liga champions Real Madrid, Alonso remained committed to Real Sociedad. Madrid failed to meet the £13 million price tag that Jose Luis Astiazaran, the Real Sociedad president, had placed on Alonso and the deal reached a stalemate. Alonso had other concerns and focussed on international duty with Spain at the Euro 2004 tournament. He made a substitute appearance in Spain's 1–0 victory against Russia and played a full 90 minutes against Portugal national football team|Portugal]]. However, Alonso was deprived of the prospect of further appearances after Spain failed to progress from the group stage — usurped by finalists Greece and Portugal. Despite the fact that Alonso's appearance at the tournament was brief, he caught the attention of retired footballer Jan Molby who was impressed with his precise passing abilities.
The summer transfer window at Real Sociedad saw the arrival of Alonso's childhood friend Mikel Arteta. Arteta was ecstatic at the prospect of partnering Alonso in midfield but his excitement was short lived. Alonso was not picked for Real Sociedad's pre-season friendlies, signalling that an offer by Liverpool F.C. was being treated seriously. The Basque side announced on 20 August 2004 that they had made a deal worth £10.5 million with Liverpool and Alonso had agreed terms with the Merseyside team. Alonso did not lament the fact that a move to Madrid, a city reviled by many vascos, hadn't materialised. Instead he concentrated on integrating with the new Spanish contingent at Liverpool under the guidance of, ex-Valencia coach, Rafael Benítez.
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