Real Madrid have turned to one of their own to lead a new era, appointing club legend Xabi Alonso as manager on a three-year deal that marks a poignant return to the Santiago Bernabéu.
Alonso’s appointment comes with the weight of legacy and the promise of a bold future. A midfield maestro during his playing days in white, he now takes the reins of the club he once orchestrated from the pitch, tasked with following in the footsteps of the departing Carlo Ancelotti.
The 43-year-old succeeds the Italian icon, who signed off at the weekend before heading to manage Brazil. It’s a seamless yet symbolic transition, Ancelotti calling Alonso “one of the best in the world” just weeks before handing over the baton.
Alonso arrives after a transformational spell at Bayer Leverkusen. In his first full season, he delivered an invincible Bundesliga title and a domestic double, turning the perennial underachievers into European contenders.
Leverkusen’s fairytale run included 53 matches unbeaten before their Europa League final loss to Atalanta. Yet the imprint Alonso left is indelible, his tactical clarity and calm leadership widely praised.
His coaching journey began at Real Madrid’s academy in 2018, before he impressed with Real Sociedad B and then took the Bundesliga by storm. Now, with the eyes of Madridistas and the football world on him, he returns to the capital not as a former player, but as the club’s main architect.
Alonso will be officially unveiled at Valdebebas on Monday. His first test comes swiftly at the Club World Cup in June, with Saudi champions Al-Hilal awaiting.
He made 236 appearances for Real between 2009 and 2014, winning the Champions League in his final season. That same calm intelligence he displayed in midfield now becomes his greatest tool on the touchline.
A World Cup and double European Championship winner with Spain, Alonso embodies footballing elegance and intellect. Now, he faces the ultimate challenge: guiding the world’s biggest club into a new era, built on familiar foundations and aiming for even greater heights.
