A composite image of Alvaro Arbeloa and Xabi Alonso both looking on
Alvaro Arbeloa and Xabi Alonso call each other 'Truffles', but there'll be no time for such affection on Monday night.
The great friends are about to meet as Premier League managers, both making their touchline debut in the competition when Arbeloa's Fulham host Alonso's Chelsea a season-opening west London derby, live on talkSPORT.
Fulham head coach Alvaro Arbeloa looks on during a pre-season friendly match.5
Arbeloa signed a three-year contract as Fulham head coach
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso smiles at the club's Cobham training base.5
Chelsea appointed Alonso as their manager on a four-year deal
Arbeloa and Alonso go way back
Teammates at Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as for the Spain national team – with whom they won the World Cup and two Euros during La Roja's late 2000s and early 2010s dominance – Arbeloa and Alonso have remained close into their coaching days.
Arbeloa succeeded Alonso as Real Madrid boss just last year, and now he's followed him back to the Premier League.
Both bosses will be hoping to make a winning start in their new job as the 2026/27 season gets underway for Fulham and Chelsea at Craven Cottage – and any niceties will have to be put to one side.
"Of course you can have a relationship," Alonso said at his pre-match press conference on Thursday, "but once you're on the pitch: no friends, no past.
"It's just the 90 minutes that we are playing, fighting for each club, and after it's another thing."
Why they call each other 'Truffles'
It was Alonso who came up with the 'Trufas' nickname (Spanish for 'Truffles'), originally a cheeky dig at Arbeloa's misplaced passes during their time together at Liverpool.
This came to light in Campo de Estrellas, a 2017 documentary series following Real Madrid players and their families.
Arbeloa said: "In a training session at Liverpool, we had to give 40-yard passes and every time Xabi landed it on my foot, very measured."
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But right-back Arbeloa's radar wasn't as accurate as that of his metronomic midfield colleague, as Alonso explained: "Then Arbeloa gave a few passes and I was always sent searching for the balls in the trees – with the truffles – and the nickname just stuck."
The moniker surfaced again last year when Alonso was handed the Real Madrid job, with Arbeloa posting on X: "Congratulations, Truffles."
Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa of Spain celebrate with the trophy after victory in the Euro 2012 final.5
Alonso and Arbeloa helped Spain to Euro 2008, 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 glory
Alvaro Arbeloa and Xabi Alonso of Real Madrid compete for the ball with Lionel Messi of Barcelona.5
The pair were together at Real Madrid for five years, winning the 2013/14 Champions League as teammates
He won't be wanting his compatriot to fare well on Monday night, though, telling reporters ahead of the game: "[I spoke to Alonso] a few days ago. We didn't talk about football. Our families are coming to London and we are very good friends.
"On Monday night, we will be there on the touchline, so close for 90 minutes. We will give everything for our clubs. We will try to win the game. For 90 minutes, like [Alonso] said, we are not friends."
Into the unknown
Arbeloa and Alonso are stepping into uncharted territory.
They never came up against each other as players and have yet to do so as managers (though that's hardly surprising given Arbeloa only took up his first senior role at the start of this year).
And they arrive at their new clubs in different circumstances.
Alonso is tasked with reviving Chelsea's fortunes after they slumped to 10th last term, going through two permanent managers in the process, with Enzo Maresca leaving on New Year's Day and replacement Liam Rosenior being sacked in April.
Alvaro Arbeloa of Liverpool jumps onto teammate Xabi Alonso in celebration.5
Arbeloa and Alonso are back in the Premier League 17 years after leaving Liverpool in the same transfer window
Arbeloa, meanwhile, succeeds the successful Marco Silva, who re-established Fulham as a top-flight side and took them to at least the quarter-finals of a domestic cup in the last four campaigns.
The pair will shake hands before kick-off on Monday – maybe they'll even hug – but the moment that whistle goes on the banks of the Thames, they are but two people doing their job (two of nine doing it for the first time in the Premier League this weekend).