At long last, Real Madrid announces Xabi Alonso as their new head coach

Finally, Real Madrid has confirmed today who will succeed Carlo Ancelotti at the bench. Everybody knew it, but the club had declined to confirm it until the Italian had received an emotional and deserved tribute at the Bernabéu on Saturday that brought him to tears.

Carlo Ancelotti leaves the club one year earlier than what the contract said, and Xabi Alonso will take his place, on a three-year deal: until June 30, 2028. The official statement is finally here, and takes pride on the spectacular resume of the young coach (43), which includes winning the "Décima", tenth European Cup in Lisbon 2014, precisely under Ancelotti, and with Luka Modrić as a teammate. The Croatian, who is just three years younger than Alonso, is also leaving Real Madrid, but both teammates will meet again for the Club World Cup next month.

Xabi Alonso played for Real Madrid between 2009 and 2014. He then left to Bayern Munich, where he ended his career as a player. As a manager, he started coaching his home team Real Sociedad B-team in 2019, and in 2022 he moved to Bayer Leverkusen, turning what some called as a "Neverkusen" into a Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal and Europa League finalist.

His first words as Real Madrid coach will come on Monday, May 26, at 12:30 CEST, in an official event alongside club president Florentino Pérez.