Spanish giants Real Madrid appoint ex-player after sacking Alonso

European heavyweights Real Madrid have announced the appointment of Álvaro Arbeloa as the club’s new first team head coach after firing Xabi Alonso.

In a dramatic style, the Santiago Bernabeu outfit relieved the ex-Bayern Munich and Liverpool star midfielder after falling to Barcelona in the Supercopa de Espana final on Sunday in Saudi Arabia.

An official club statement reads: “Real Madrid C. F. would like to announce that Álvaro Arbeloa will be the new first team coach.

Álvaro 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.”

Arbeloa featured in 238 matches for the La Liga record-winners between 2009 and 2016 as a defender and won 8 trophies in the process – 2 European Cups, 1 Club World Cup, 1 Uefa Super Cup, 1 LaLiga title, 2 Copa del Rey trophies and 1 Spanish Super Cup.

He is expected to immediately take charge of the club’s training session on Wednesday and prepare them for the challenge against Albecete in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.