Xabi Alonso Departs from Real Madrid; Alvaro Arbeloa Takes Over as Head Coach

Xabi Alonso Leaves Head Coach Position

Real Madrid announced on Monday that Xabi Alonso has left his role as head coach "by mutual agreement," with Alvaro Arbeloa promoted from the Castilla reserve team to replace him. This news comes just one day after Real Madrid lost the Supercopa de España final to Barcelona with a score of 3-2 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Alonso, who is 44 years old, lasted less than a year on a three-year contract he signed last summer to replace Carlo Ancelotti. "Real Madrid CF announces that, by mutual agreement between the club and Xabi Alonso, it has been decided to terminate his activities as head coach," stated the football team in a press release. "Xabi Alonso will always have the affection and admiration of all Real Madrid supporters, as he is a club legend and has always represented our values. Real Madrid will always be his home."

The club expressed gratitude to Xabi Alonso and his entire coaching staff for their work and dedication during this period, wishing them success in this new phase of their lives. Alonso's last match as coach ended in a crushing defeat, 3-2, against Barcelona in the Supercopa de España final.

Real Madrid won 10 of their first 11 La Liga matches under Alonso's leadership, but rumors about his status as head coach intensified as the club faced difficulties towards the end of the year 2025, including losses to Liverpool, Celta Vigo, and Manchester City. Additionally, there were public complaints from star player Vinicius Junior regarding tactical changes, along with discontent from other players about Alonso's coaching style.

Real Madrid fell to second place in the domestic standings but is well positioned in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, having secured four victories in six matches under Alonso. A former midfielder who played for Madrid from 2009 to 2014, Alonso returned to the club last summer after 18 months at Bayer Leverkusen, where he led the team to its first Bundesliga title in 2024. Alvaro Arbeloa, 42, a former right-back, will immediately take over Alonso's position and will be on the bench for the upcoming La Liga match against Levante on Saturday.