Real Madrid confirm Xabi Alonso as head coach

Real Madrid on Sunday named Xabi Alonso as its new head coach to replace Carlo Ancelotti.

The former Real Sociedad B and Bayer Leverkusen boss has signed a contract until June 2028, and will lead Madrid in this summer's Club World Cup.

Xabi Alonso, head coach of Bayer Leverkusen, holds the Bundesliga trophy during his side's title celebrations in Leverkusen, Germany, May 18, 2024. (Photo by Ulrich Hufnagel/Xinhua)

Alonso began his playing career at Real Sociedad, and after a successful spell with Liverpool, moved to Real Madrid in 2009, making 236 appearances across a five-year spell, winning the Champions League, La Liga and two Copas del Rey.

After hanging up his boots in 2017, the 43-year-old had a short spell coaching in Real Madrid's youth system before returning to Real Sociedad, where he led the club's B-team to promotion to the second division.

He joined Bayer Leverkusen in October 2022, helping lift the German club out of relegation danger, before guiding the club to its first-ever Bundesliga title in a remarkable unbeaten campaign, in which Leverkusen also won the German Cup and reached the final of the Europa League, losing 3-0 to Atalanta.

This season Leverkusen finished second behind Bayern Munich, with Alonso a fortnight ago announcing that he would step down at the end of the campaign, fueling speculation that he might replace Ancelotti at Real Madrid.