Former midfielder Xabi Alonso has been appointed as Real Madrid’s new head coach on a three-year contract, returning to the club where he won multiple titles as a player.
Real Madrid have officially announced the appointment of Xabi Alonso as their new manager on a contract running until 30 June 2028, according to BBC reports. The former Spain international returns to the Santiago Bernabéu to succeed Carlo Ancelotti, who concluded his tenure with the club on Saturday and is set to take over as Brazil’s national team coach.
Alonso, 43, made 236 appearances for Real Madrid during his playing career, winning the Champions League in 2014. He will be presented as manager at the club’s training ground on Monday and is expected to lead the team at the upcoming Club World Cup, with his first match scheduled against Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia on 18 June.
Alonso steps into the role following a highly successful stint at Bayer Leverkusen, where he guided the German side to their first-ever Bundesliga title in the 2023–24 season - achieved without a single defeat. He also secured the German Cup, marking a domestic double in what was his first full season in senior club management. However, Leverkusen finished second to Bayern Munich in the league this year and were eliminated from the Champions League in the last 16.
Having previously coached Real Madrid’s Under-14s and Real Sociedad B, Alonso took charge of Leverkusen in October 2022 when the team was near the relegation zone. He led a dramatic turnaround, finishing sixth in the Bundesliga that season and building on that momentum with an unbeaten league campaign the following year.
Despite a strong performance across competitions - losing just three league matches this season - Leverkusen could not retain their Bundesliga crown and were eliminated from the German Cup by third-tier Arminia Bielefeld in the semi-finals. Their only defeat in 53 games last season came in the Europa League final against Atalanta.
Alonso, a World Cup and double European Championship winner with Spain, had been linked with managerial positions at Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich in recent months. He had initially committed to remaining with Leverkusen, but ultimately opted for a return to Madrid, where he begins a new chapter in his coaching career.
Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is reportedly close to succeeding Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen.
As Israel launches a major ground offensive in Gaza City, families of hostages and activists in Jerusalem demand the immediate release of captives, in...
Japan will not recognise a Palestinian state for the time being, and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will skip a relevant meeting during the United Nati...
Utah prosecutors said on Tuesday they will seek the death penalty for the suspect in conservative activist Charlie Kirk's assassination and revealed s...
In a landmark agreement during President Donald Trump's state visit, the UK and US have unveiled a $42 billion "Tech Prosperity Deal," focusing on adv...
Benfica squandered a two-goal advantage, falling 3-2 at home to Qarabag in their Champions League opener. Oleksiy Kashchuk's late strike secured a his...
As Israel launches a major ground offensive in Gaza City, families of hostages and activists in Jerusalem demand the immediate release of captives, intensifying pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu.
In a landmark agreement during President Donald Trump's state visit, the UK and US have unveiled a $42 billion "Tech Prosperity Deal," focusing on advancements in AI, quantum computing, and civil nuclear energy.
Benfica squandered a two-goal advantage, falling 3-2 at home to Qarabag in their Champions League opener. Oleksiy Kashchuk's late strike secured a historic comeback for the Azerbaijani side.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Tuesday its team at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant heard shelling close to the site and observed black smoke rising from three nearby locations.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
Lithuania is teaching children how to operate drones along its border with Russia, part of efforts to bolster awareness and skills on the NATO 'Eastern flank'.
Robert Redford, the Oscar-winning actor and director who became a champion of independent film, died at his home in Provo, Utah, on 16 September. He was 89.
U.S. President Donald Trump has filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, alleging that the newspaper published false and damaging information about him to interfere in the 2024 election.
As Israel launches a major ground offensive in Gaza City, families of hostages and activists in Jerusalem demand the immediate release of captives, intensifying pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Japan will not recognise a Palestinian state for the time being, and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will skip a relevant meeting during the United Nations General Assembly this month, the Asahi newspaper reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed government sources.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment