Madrid, Spain – It’s official, and the football world is eagerly watching Madrid: A new era is dawning at the venerable Santiago Bernabéu. Xabi Alonso, the football strategist from Tolosa, is the new head coach of Real Madrid! The “Blancos” announced the signing of the former successful coach of Bayer Leverkusen today, Sunday, just one day after Carlo Ancelotti’s emotional farewell, in an official statement.
Alonso signs for the next three seasons, with a contract until June 30, 2028, and will be officially presented this Monday, May 26, at 12:30 PM in Valdebebas. He will make his debut on the coaching bench at the upcoming Club World Cup – a true bombshell and the starting signal for an exciting new chapter.
“Real Madrid announces that Xabi Alonso will be the coach of Real Madrid for the next three seasons, from June 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028,” the club stated, thus ending weeks of speculation and setting the course for a promising future.
Real Madrid, under the leadership of President Florentino Pérez, emphasized in its statement that Xabi Alonso “is one of the greatest legends of Real Madrid and world football.” Eleven years after the end of his glorious playing career in the white jersey, Alonso now returns to his sporting home in a new role. As a player, the former midfield maestro played an impressive 236 matches for the “Merengues” over five seasons. During this time, he celebrated six titles: the long-awaited Champions League (“La Décima”) in Lisbon, a European Super Cup, a Spanish League title, two Copa del Rey, and a Spanish Super Cup. His impressive trophy collection also includes a World Cup and two European Championships with the Spanish national team, for whom he played 113 international matches.
Xabi Alonso’s return is not just a reunion with an icon, but also the homecoming of a coach who took his first steps on the sideline in Real Madrid’s youth academy. In the 2018-2019 season, he led the Infantil A to the La Liga championship and the Champions Tournament title. His meteoric rise as a coach then took place at Bayer Leverkusen, where he made history in just three years, winning the championship, the cup, and the German Supercup. Real Madrid sees his signing as the beginning of a “new stage” and places great hopes in the Basque’s tactical finesse and leadership qualities. Fans can look forward to exciting times!
