Alexander Büttner has yet to make his New England Revolution debut after arriving in MLS this past offseason, but the 31-year-old left back brings a wealth of experience to Foxborough. Here are five fast facts about the Dutchman with more than 20,000 minutes played in 12 professional seasons.
1. A Fond Farewell to Sir Alex Ferguson
Büttner made just 28 appearances in all competitions during his stint with English giants Manchester United, but he made them count.
Dubbed by Sir Alex Ferguson as “one of the best young left backs in Europe” upon his signing with the Red Devils, Büttner earned Man of the Match honors in his debut against Wigan Athletic, registering one goal and one assist in a 4-0 victory.
But that wasn’t the only goal Büttner scored with Manchester United. On May 19, 2013, in the final game of Ferguson’s illustrious run as Manchester United manager, Büttner scored his side’s third goal in what proved to be a wild 5-5 draw with West Bromwich Albion.
2. Forever a Premier League Champion
Büttner’s time in England was highlighted by a title, as he owns a Premier League winner’s medal from his debut 2012-13 season when Manchester United ran away with the top spot, finishing 11 points clear of bitter rivals Manchester City.
Particularly proud of that accomplishment, Büttner was even quoted as saying, “Who can say that he has been a champion in England? I can. Even Steven Gerrard did not succeed.”
3. Fashionista with a Passion
Büttner’s love of soccer is rivaled by his love for fashion – so much so that he began his own brand, AB Lifestyle, which produces a variety of clothing items and accessories for both men and women.
The company began as AB Caps and specialized in luxury headwear, but has since expanded, noting on their official web site that they “started with a dream that became our lifestyle and now we are living it.”
4. World Traveler
Büttner’s playing career has taken him all across the planet with stints in his native Netherlands, England, Russia, Belgium, and now the United States, but his travels don’t begin and end with soccer.
In a recent interview with Juliet Pennington of The Boston Globe, Büttner revealed that his favorite vacation destination is Ibiza, a small island off the coast of Spain in the Mediterranean Sea, where he enjoys relaxing on the beach.
Asked where he’d like to travel but hasn’t yet, Büttner noted a pair of locations in the U.S., though with vastly different climates – Hawaii and Alaska.
5. Not Just Another Number
There was a time when the number 28 didn’t mean much to Büttner – it was simply the squad number he was assigned upon arrival at Manchester United. But when he scored a goal and registered an assist on his debut wearing that number, it became part of him.
Büttner has since requested the No. 28 at all of his subsequent clubs, including in New England, where he took over the number from Michael Mancienne, who switched to the No. 13.
In fact, Büttner now has the No. 28 tattooed on his right arm.
