Real Madrid name new manager after sacking Xabi Alonso

Originally posted on Football Espana | By Ruairidh Barlow | Last updated Jan 12, 2026 12:35 PM ET

Real Madrid have announced that Alvaro Arbeloa will be their new manager, presumably until at least the end of the season. He replaces the outgoing Xabi Alonso, whose departure was announced to surprise on Monday evening.

The general line coming from the local press on Sunday evening and Monday morning was that Alonso would not be sacked by Real Madrid this week. The announcement stated that Alonso’s exit was by mutual consent. Arbeloa was cited back in December as the most likely choice to take over on an interim basis, with Sporting Director Santiago Solari another alternative. By all accounts, Zinedine Zidane and Jurgen Klopp had ruled themselves out of the running.

Real Madrid statement on Arbeloa

Shortly after announcing that Alonso was leaving the club, Los Blancos put out the following statement, explaining Arbeloa’s appointment.

Real Madrid C. F. would like to announce that Álvaro Arbeloa will be the new first team coach.

Alvaro 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.

More to follow.

This article first appeared on Football Espana and was syndicated with permission.

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