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.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is reviewing Sri Lanka’s request for approximately $200 million in emergency financing after Cyclone Ditwah ca...
Russian President Vladimir Putin departed New Delhi on Friday after a two-day state visit, during which he and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agr...
Tom Barrack, U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria, expressed confidence on Friday that unresolved issues between Washington and Ank...
A gas explosion at a karaoke restaurant in the Andean town of Huancane left 10 people dead, including eight students, and seriously injured three othe...
Europe is entering a period of long-term population decline just as right-wing parties push to restrict migration. A widening gap now separates Europe...
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is reviewing Sri Lanka’s request for approximately $200 million in emergency financing after Cyclone Ditwah caused widespread destruction across the island nation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin departed New Delhi on Friday after a two-day state visit, during which he and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to deepen trade and defence cooperation, while Russia offered uninterrupted fuel supplies to India.
Tom Barrack, U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria, expressed confidence on Friday that unresolved issues between Washington and Ankara could be resolved within four to six months, describing the relationship as strong and stable.
A gas explosion at a karaoke restaurant in the Andean town of Huancane left 10 people dead, including eight students, and seriously injured three others, local authorities said Friday, December 5.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw took place at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., with world leaders, sports stars, and FIFA officials on hand to finalise matchups for next summer’s expanded 48-team tournament.
Faced with mounting public outrage following one of the deadliest environmental disasters in the nation’s recent history, the Indonesian government has pledged to investigate and potentially shut down mining operations found to have contributed to the catastrophic flooding on Sumatra.
Israel was cleared on Thursday to participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, a decision made by the organisers, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which sparked a major controversy.
French President Emmanuel Macron urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping to cooperate more closely on geopolitics, trade and the environment, as the European Union seeks China's help to end the war in Ukraine.
Russian forces struck the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk on Wednesday, (3 December), dropping nine aerial bombs in a single day, regional authorities said.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has claimed that the European Union is “drowning in corruption,” criticising Brussels for failing to hold itself or Ukraine accountable amid recent scandals.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is reviewing Sri Lanka’s request for approximately $200 million in emergency financing after Cyclone Ditwah caused widespread destruction across the island nation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin departed New Delhi on Friday after a two-day state visit, during which he and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to deepen trade and defence cooperation, while Russia offered uninterrupted fuel supplies to India.
Tom Barrack, U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria, expressed confidence on Friday that unresolved issues between Washington and Ankara could be resolved within four to six months, describing the relationship as strong and stable.
A gas explosion at a karaoke restaurant in the Andean town of Huancane left 10 people dead, including eight students, and seriously injured three others, local authorities said Friday, December 5.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment