Real Madrid turns the page on Xabi Alonso and entrusts its future to Álvaro Arbeloa
Real Madrid has confirmed a major change at the helm of its first team. The day after the defeat to FC Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final (3–2), the Madrid club announced the end of its collaboration with Xabi Alonso and, in quick succession, the appointment of Álvaro Arbeloa as the new head coach.
After several weeks of speculation and tension fuelled by results and performances deemed insufficient, the separation between the Casa Blanca and Xabi Alonso is now official. In a statement marked by respect, Real Madrid praised the journey and commitment of its former coach, recalling his status as a club legend and his unwavering attachment to Madrid’s values. The club expressed its gratitude for the work he accomplished and wished him the best for the next stages of his career.
To succeed him, the leadership did not hesitate to make an internal choice, betting on continuity and familiarity with the institution. Álvaro Arbeloa, until now coach of Real Madrid Castilla, takes charge of the first team. At 42, the former iconic defender of the club reaches a decisive milestone, in the manner of Zinédine Zidane in 2016, who was also promoted from within the youth setup.
Trained on the benches of the Madrid cantera since 2020, Arbeloa has built a solid coaching career. He has successively led the club’s youth teams, winning several national titles, including a historic treble with Juvenil A in the 2022–2023 season. His time at the head of Castilla since June 2025 has confirmed his ability to manage a group and instil an identity of play.
A former Real Madrid player between 2009 and 2016, Arbeloa marked one of the most successful periods in the club’s recent history, playing 238 official matches and winning eight major titles, including two Champions Leagues. His record also extends to the Spanish national team, with a World Cup and two European Championships.
Now thrust into the spotlight, Álvaro Arbeloa will have the heavy task of revitalising a team in search of cohesion, criticised for its lack of fluidity and weakened by internal tensions. It is a major challenge for a coach who knows the Real Madrid DNA perfectly, and whose appointment marks another strong bet by the merengue leadership.
Translated from Abderrazzak Boussaid’s French article – le7tv
