Real Madrid has announced the replacement of Xabi Alonso from his head coach role with Alvaro Arbeloa, a day after the team lost the Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona.
The club parted ways with the Basque coach and immediately appointed former Madrid player Arbeloa, who was coaching the reserve side.
In a statement on Monday the club said Alonso left the club by mutual consent.
“Real Madrid announces that Alvaro Arbeloa is the new head coach of the first team.”
“Álvaro Arbeloa has been the coach of Castilla since June 2025, and has spent his entire coaching career in Real Madrid’s youth academy since 2020. He coached the Under-14s A in the 2020-2021 season, winning the league title, the Under-16s in the 2021-2022 season and the Under-19s from 2022 to 2025. As coach of the Under-19s, he won the treble in the 2022-2023 season (League, Copa del Rey and Champions Cup) and the League in the 2024-2025 season.
“As a player, Álvaro Arbeloa was part of Real Madrid in one of the most successful periods of its history. He defended our shirt between 2009 and 2016, in 238 official matches. During that time he won 8 trophies: 2 European Cups, 1 Club World Cup, 1 Uefa Super Cup, 1 LaLiga title, 2 Copa del Rey trophies and 1 Spanish Super Cup.
“With the Spanish national team, Álvaro Arbeloa was also part of a historic era, in which he won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and 2 European Championships (2008 and 2012). He was capped 56 times.” The statement concluded
