Madrid, May 25
Real Madrid announced the appointment of former club legend Xabi Alonso as the new head coach of the team from June 1 onwards on a three-year-deal.
He will be replacing Carlo Ancelotti, who will be joining the Brazil national side at the end of the La Liga season.
In a statement, Real Madrid said, "Real Madrid CF announces that Xabi Alonso will be Real Madrid's manager for the next three seasons, from June 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028."
"Xabi Alonso is one of the greatest legends of Real Madrid and world football. He wore our shirt in 236 official matches between 2009 and 2014. During that time, he won six titles: the tenth European Cup in Lisbon, one European Super Cup, one La Liga title, two Copa del Rey titles, and one Spanish Super Cup," added the statement.
Alonso is also a Spain football legend, with a FIFA World Cup (2010) and two UEFA Euro (2008 and 2012) titles to his name in 113 appearances.
"Xabi Alonso began his coaching career at Real Madrid's youth academy, managing the U14 A team during the 2018-2019 season, where he won the League and the Champions Tournament," continued the statement.
Alonso makes his return to Real Madrid as one of the world's best coaches, with immense success with Bayer Leverkusen, where he won the League, Cup, and German Super Cup in three seasons.
On Monday, Alonso will be presented as the new coach at an event in Real Madrid City.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great move by Real Madrid! Xabi Alonso understands the club's culture perfectly. As an Indian football fan who stayed up late to watch his midfield masterclasses, I'm excited to see what he brings to the dugout. Hope he can develop young talents like Bellingham further. 🤩
While I appreciate Alonso's legacy, I'm a bit concerned about his lack of experience managing at this level. Real Madrid is a different beast compared to Bundesliga. Hope the board gives him time to settle - we've seen how impatient they can be with managers!
As someone who grew up watching Alonso's pinpoint passes, this feels like a dream come true! His Leverkusen team played beautiful football - exactly what Madrid stands for. Maybe now we'll see less parking the bus and more tiki-taka!
Interesting timing with Ancelotti leaving for Brazil. I wonder if this was planned all along or if Madrid rushed into this decision. Either way, hope Alonso can handle the pressure better than some of his predecessors. The Bernabeu crowd can be ruthless!
Perfect blend of club legend and modern tactician! His work with young players at Leverkusen was phenomenal. Maybe we'll finally see more academy graduates in the first team. Also, as an Indian football coach myself, I'll be studying his methods closely!
Hope he brings back the glory days! Remember watching the 2014 UCL final where Alonso was suspended but still celebrated like crazy. That passion is what Madrid needs right now. Fingers crossed for more trophies! âš½
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