Newly appointed Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said Monday he has the energy and excitement to bring success that lives up to the club’s great history as he was officially introduced to the media.
Alonso, 43, will take charge starting June 1, 2025, replacing Carlo Ancelotti who recently left to coach Brazil’s national team. He has signed a three-year contract that will keep him at the helm until June 2028. His first major challenge will be leading Real Madrid in the upcoming Club World Cup this summer.
Real Madrid had a difficult season, missing out on major trophies. They lost their La Liga title to Barcelona, who also defeated them in the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup finals. Their hopes of defending the Champions League title ended with a heavy quarter-final loss to Arsenal.
Despite these setbacks, Alonso expressed confidence in the team’s quality and potential. Speaking at the club’s training ground in Valdebebas, he noted, “We have fantastic players, we have a team that has a lot of potential, (capable of) a very good present and a very good future.”
He added, “That gives me a lot of reason to come here with a lot of energy and a lot of hope that I can get the best out of all the players and build a great team… (I have) the conviction that we can achieve big things, worthy of Real Madrid, worthy of all these European Cups, of all these accomplishments made over so many years.”
Alonso is no stranger to Real Madrid’s success, having been a key player between 2009 and 2014. During his playing days, he appeared in 236 games and helped the team win six trophies, including the Champions League in his final season — the historic La Decima, Real Madrid’s 10th European Cup. The club has since added five more Champions League titles, making it a total of 15.
Before joining Real Madrid as coach, Alonso achieved impressive success with Bayer Leverkusen, guiding them to an unbeaten Bundesliga and German Cup double in the 2023-24 season. His accomplishments made him a highly sought-after coach among Europe’s top clubs.
Alonso, who learned from renowned managers like Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola, and Jose Mourinho, described his appointment as a “special day.” He said, “It’s a day I will have marked in my calendar for life… And today, when I walked into Valdebebas an hour and a half ago, it was reborn… I have the feeling that it’s the start of an era, as the president said.”
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez welcomed Alonso warmly. “This is a very special day for those who love Real Madrid, it will be the start of a new era filled with excitement and intense emotions,” Perez said. He called Alonso “one of the best in the world” and “one of our own,” highlighting Alonso’s deep connection to the club.
Alonso’s first competitive game in charge will be the Club World Cup match against Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal on June 18 in Miami, marking the beginning of a new chapter for Real Madrid under his leadership.
