Real Madrid have confirmed that Álvaro Arbeloa will take over as the club’s first-team coach after Xabi Alonso departed by mutual consent.
The announcement came earlier today, January 12, just a day after Los Blancos suffered a narrow defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final.
“Real Madrid announces that Álvaro Arbeloa is the new head coach of the first team,” the club said in an official statement.
9news Nigeria reports that Alonso’s tenure at the Santiago Bernabéu lasted less than eight months, with the club describing his exit as a decision reached by mutual agreement.
Arbeloa, a former Real Madrid defender, had been managing Real Madrid Castilla, the club’s B team, since June 2025.
His coaching career has been entirely within the club’s youth academy, beginning with the Under-14s A team in 2020, followed by the Under-16s, and most recently the Under-19s. During his time with the Under-19s, Arbeloa led the team to a treble in the 2022-2023 season, securing the league, Copa del Rey, and Champions Cup, and won the league again in 2024-2025.
As a player, Arbeloa enjoyed a decorated period with Real Madrid between 2009 and 2016, featuring in 238 official matches and winning eight major trophies, including two UEFA Champions League titles, a Club World Cup, a LaLiga crown, and multiple domestic cups.
Internationally, he was part of Spain’s golden generation, winning the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships in 2008 and 2012, earning 56 caps in the process.
