25 May 2025, 14:32
Xabi Alonso will take over at Real Madrid.
Xabi Alonso will take over at Real Madrid. Picture: Alamy
By Jacob Paul
Former Los Blancos legend Xabi Alonso has been appointed manager of his old club Real Madrid for the next three seasons.
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Alonso has officially been unveiled at Real Madrid after being recruited to replace Carlo Ancelotti, who oversaw Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Real Sociedad in his final match in charge.
Italian sports journalist Fabrizio Romano initially reported the news earlier this month, which has been confirmed today.
The former Spain midfielder joins after three successful seasons at Bayer Leverkusen that included winning the 2023-24 Bundesliga without losing a single match as part of a league and cup double.
It was Leverkusen’s first trophy since the DFB-Pokal in 1993 and he also masterminded German Super Cup glory, cementing the 43-year-old’s reputation as one of the game’s brightest young coaches.
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Xabi Alonso scoring for Liverpool, his former club.
Xabi Alonso scoring for Liverpool, his former club. Picture: Alamy
An emotional afternoon saw the Leverkusen fans bid farewell to boss Alonso ahead of his final home match on earlier this month.
He announced would be stepping down as head coach at the end of the season, with the former Real and Spain midfielder previously being linked with the summer switch to take charge of his old club.
As a player, the 2010 World Cup winner appeared in 236 matches for Real from 2009 and 2014, amassed 113 caps in Spain’s midfield and also distinguished himself across five seasons at Liverpool.
He won on the Champions League as a player at Real in 2014, the second time the former Liverpool midfielder had lifted the European Cup.
Alonso takes over a Real side who have been knocked off their perch in LaLiga by great rivals Barcelona, who were confirmed as champions earlier this month.
As well as finishing runners-up in Spain, Real mounted a disappointing defence of their Champions League title after being outplayed by Arsenal over both legs of the quarter-finals.
Ancelotti has left the Santiago Bernabeu to take charge of the Brazil national team.