Xabi Alonso officially stepped took on the role of Real Madrid’s head coach on Monday, expressing his commitment to carry forward the legacy of Carlo Ancelotti and sharing his optimism about the club’s future under his leadership.
Real Madrid confirmed Alonso’s appointment on Sunday, shortly after honouring Ancelotti during the team’s final La Liga match of the season at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Ancelotti is set to begin his new role as the head coach of the Brazil national team after concluding a largely successful second spell with the Spanish giants.
‘I’m here to take over from Carlo Ancelotti, who was my coach and is a great person,’ Alonso said. ‘He is a coach who left his mark on me and had a great influence. Without his guidance, I probably wouldn’t be here. I’ll pick up his legacy with pride and honour of now being in the position that Carlo was before, and I hope to live up to the expectations and lead this club to achieve all of its objectives.’
Returning to the club where he played from 2009 to 2014 and won six titles, Alonso described his comeback as deeply meaningful.
‘Without a doubt this is a very special day for me,’ he said. ‘I’m very happy to be at a place where I feel is my home. I may have been a few years away, but the link with Real Madrid and Madrid fans has always existed.’
The unveiling event began with a video montage showcasing some of Alonso’s standout moments as a midfielder for Real Madrid, the Spanish national side and other clubs, as well as scenes from his coaching journey, including his time with Real Madrid’s youth teams, Real Sociedad B, and most recently Bayer Leverkusen. Alonso departed the German club at the end of this season.
The 43-year-old signed a contract that will keep him at the helm until June 2028. He watched the presentation video alongside his wife and invited guests.
‘Today is a very special day for all of us, it’s the start of a new phase,’ said Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez (main image with Alonso). ‘Because we have a new coach who already is one of the best in the world and who represents the values of Real Madrid because he knows exactly what this shield and this shirt means.’
Alonso inherits a Madrid side that underperformed this season. Although it secured the UEFA Super Cup, the team fell short elsewhere, ending the campaign without additional silverware and suffering defeat in all four ‘clásico’ encounters with rivals Barcelona, who completed a league and cup double. ALSO READ: Barça move to brink of La Liga title after beating Real Madrid 4-3 in ‘Clásico’ thriller.
‘We have a great team, with fantastic players,’ Alonso said. ‘I’m convinced that I can achieve important things, worthy of Real Madrid. I want to inspire the fans, make them proud of the team that they see on the field. I have a good feeling that we can start something great.’
During his playing days at Real Madrid, Alonso was instrumental in the club’s 2012 La Liga title and the 2014 Champions League triumph, before departing to join Bayern Munich, where he won three Bundesliga titles.
As a manager, Alonso made headlines by guiding Bayer Leverkusen to their first-ever German league and cup double during his first full season. He took charge when the team was facing relegation and transformed it into a powerhouse.
Under his leadership, Leverkusen became the first team to finish a Bundesliga season unbeaten. Their only loss in the 2023–24 campaign came in the Europa League final against Atalanta, but they quickly bounced back by lifting the German Cup three days later.
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🤳 Our new coach, @XabiAlonso, has a message for you: “Hello, Madridistas, I’m already here! I’m so happy to begin this new era: one that starts with excitement and energy. Greetings, and Hala Madrid!”
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) May 26, 2025
🆕 #WelcomeXabi pic.twitter.com/ZlhPXRerYq
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