By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Real Madrid have officially confirmed the appointment of Xabi Alonso as their new manager on a three year deal, the club said in a statement posted on Sunday.
Alonso replaces Carlo Ancelotti, who is to take charge of the Brazil national team from Monday following his last game at Real Madrid on Saturday.
The Italian led them to three Champions Leagues, three Club World Cups, three European Super Cups, two La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey titles, and two Spanish Super Cups during his six seasons over his two stints.
“Xabi Alonso will be the Real Madrid coach for the next three seasons, from June 1, 2025 until June 30, 2028,” said Real Madrid in a statement.
As a player, Alonso played 236 matches, winning the Champions League, La Liga, two Copa del Rey titles, the European Super Cup and the Spanish Super Cup.
After retiring in 2017, Alonso didn’t wait long to pursue a career in management. In April 2018 he began studying for UEFA’s A and B coaching licenses, taking six weeks of intensive classes at the headquarters of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) among a star-studded group that included future Barcelona boss Xavi Hernández and Madrid’s reserve-team coach Raúl González.
Alonso is from Tolosa, a town in the Basque Country not far from San Sebastián. He began his career as a player there, at Real Sociedad, helping the team finish second in LaLiga before joining Liverpool in 2004. When it was time for his first move in management outside of Madrid’s Valdebebas academy, he took charge of La Real’s reserve team, Sanse, in June 2019.
The 43-year-old led Bayer Leverkusen to their first ever Bundesliga title – secured without losing a game – as well as the German Cup in his first full season as a senior club manager during the 2023-24 campaign.
But Leverkusen failed to retain their Bundesliga this season, finishing second behind Bayern Munich.