Xabi Alonso named new Real Madrid coach
He returns to the club after leading Bayer Leverkusen to win the league, the cup and the German Super Cup.
Xabi Alonso (Tolosa, 25/11/1981) is Real Madrid's new coach. The 43-year-old Spanish manager returns to the club where he clinched six trophies as a player to become a madridista legend. He leaves behind Bayer Leverkusen, where he made history by winning the league, the cup and the German Super Cup.
Xabi Alonso joined the German side in October 2022 and in his first season, the team reached the Europa League semi-finals and finished in the European spots in the league. In the 2023/24 campaign, he won the first Bundesliga in Bayer Leverkusen's history, bringing an end to Bayern Munich's eleven titles in a row. He also won the German Cup, and came within touching distance of a treble, finishing as runner-up in the Europa League.
Bayer's unbelievable campaign under Xabi Alonso's guidance is best summed up by a 51-match unbeaten run. Those impressive performances continued into his last season at the helm of the German outfit, as they won the club's first Super Cup in August 2024.
Madridista beginnings as a coach
Prior to taking over at Bayer Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso began his coaching career in the Real Madrid academy. He took charge of the Under-12s, leading them to the league title and a Torneo de Campeones win during the 2018/19 campaign. He then made the move to Real Sociedad B, where he coached between 2019 and 2022, achieving promotion to Segunda División in 2021.
A legendary playing career
He also spent time at Real Madrid as a player between 2009 and 2014. During that spell he made 236 appearances and clinched the tenth European Cup, 1 European Super Cup, 1 LaLiga title, 2 Copas del Rey and 1 Spanish Super Cup. Alongside these successes, he also achieved impressive feats with the Spanish National Team (1 World Cup and 2 European Championships), Liverpool (1 Champions League, 1 European Super Cup, 1 FA Cup and 1 Community Shield) and Bayern Munich (3 League titles, 1 German Cup and 1 German Super Cup).
CAREER
-Real Madrid academy (2018-19)
-Real Sociedad B (2019-22)
-Bayer Leverkusen (2022-25)
-Real Madrid (2025- )
HONOURS
-1 German League
-1 German Cup
-1 German Super Cup