Real Madrid have officially announced the appointment of Xabi Alonso as the club’s new head coach. The Spanish tactician has signed a three-year contract that will run from June 1, 2025, until June 30, 2028.

This marks a full-circle moment for Alonso, who made 236 appearances for Los Blancos between 2009 and 2014. During his five-year spell at the Bernabéu, he won six major trophies, including the UEFA Champions League in Lisbon, La Liga, two Copa del Rey titles, the UEFA Super Cup, and the Spanish Super Cup.

A true icon of Spanish football, Alonso was also part of the legendary national team that lifted the 2010 FIFA World Cup and back-to-back UEFA European Championships in 2008 and 2012.

Alonso began his coaching journey in 2018 with Real Madrid’s academy before taking charge of Real Sociedad B, where he spent three seasons developing his tactical philosophy. In October 2022, he was appointed head coach of Bayer Leverkusen. Under his leadership, the German club enjoyed a historic 2023/24 campaign, capturing the Bundesliga title, the DFB-Pokal, and the German Supercup.

After concluding the 2024/25 season, Alonso and Bayer parted ways by mutual agreement, clearing the path for his long-anticipated return to the Spanish capital — this time as the man in charge.

Xabi Alonso will be officially unveiled as Real Madrid’s new manager on Monday, May 26, at a press conference at the Santiago Bernabéu.