Xabi Alonso has been officially announced as the new manager of Real Madrid, succeeding Carlo Ancelotti. The LaLiga club confirmed the appointment, with Alonso signing a three-year contract set to run until June 2028. Alonso, 43, is slated to begin his tenure with the club at the Club World Cup in the United States, heralding the start of the 2025-26 season.

Ancelotti's departure from the Santiago Bernabéu follows a season where Real Madrid failed to secure a major trophy, losing out to Barcelona in LaLiga and the Copa del Rey, and exiting in the Champions League quarterfinals. ESPN reported that Alonso was Madrid's primary target to succeed Ancelotti, with the club closely monitoring his progress at Bayer Leverkusen.

Alonso's coaching career began at Real Madrid's academy. He later managed Real Sociedad's B-team before taking over at Bayer Leverkusen in October 2022. He took over the Bundesliga side when they were in a relegation zone. During his time there, he transformed the team, leading them to an unbeaten domestic double in 2024 and a Bundesliga title, ending Bayern Munich's 11-year domination. Additionally, Leverkusen secured German Cup and German Super Cup victories.

As a player, Alonso had a successful career playing for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and the Spain national team. He won the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships with Spain. He joined Real Madrid in 2009, winning LaLiga and two Copa del Reys, followed by a Champions League medal in 2014 under Ancelotti's management.

Alonso is now tasked with rebuilding a Real Madrid team that, despite star players like Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Jude Bellingham, underperformed in the previous season. Ancelotti, who had been in charge since 2021, faced pressure after the team's disappointing performance, including a 5-1 aggregate defeat by Arsenal in the Champions League, a 3-2 loss to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final, and missing out on the league title to Barcelona.

Alonso's move to Real Madrid was facilitated by an agreement allowing him to leave Leverkusen if one of his former clubs—Real Madrid, Liverpool, or Bayern Munich—sought to hire him. His success with Leverkusen made him a sought-after target for top European clubs.