Real Madrid has confirmed the appointment of former defender Álvaro Arbeloa as the club’s new head coach, following the departure of Xabi Alonso on Monday, January 12, 2026.
Alonso stepped down just seven months into his tenure, a day after Madrid lost 3–2 to arch-rivals FC Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
In an official statement, the club said the decision to part ways was mutual. Real Madrid thanked Alonso for his contribution and reaffirmed his status as a club legend.
Alonso had taken charge last May after Carlo Ancelotti’s departure to coach Brazil. However, an underwhelming start to the season and the Super Cup loss brought his stint to an early end.
BREAKING: Real Madrid confirm Álvaro Arbeloa has taken over as head coach, replacing Xabi Alonso ⚪️🔄 pic.twitter.com/mbkn9DxBar
— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 12, 2026Who is Álvaro Arbeloa?
Real Madrid moved swiftly to appoint Arbeloa, a former right-back with deep ties to the club. He has coached Castilla since last June and previously worked extensively across Madrid’s youth academy.
Arbeloa will make his senior-team coaching debut on Wednesday, January 14, against Albacete in the Copa del Rey.
He joined Real Madrid’s Castilla academy in 2001 at the age of 18, after starting his career at Zaragoza. Arbeloa made his senior debut in 2004 but appeared in only four matches before moving to Deportivo La Coruña.
In January 2007, he joined Liverpool, where he spent three seasons in the Premier League. Arbeloa returned to Real Madrid in 2009 and remained until 2016, making 238 appearances and winning eight major trophies. These included one La Liga title, two Champions League crowns, two Copa del Rey trophies, and a Club World Cup.
🚨 Real Madrid confirm Alvaro Arbeloa has taken over as head coach after Xabi Alonso's departure 🔁 pic.twitter.com/upzA4PU95a
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 12, 2026At the international level, Arbeloa earned 56 caps for Spain and was part of the historic squad that won Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup, and Euro 2012 under captain Iker Casillas.
He retired from professional football in 2017 after a brief spell with West Ham United and soon transitioned into coaching. Arbeloa rejoined Real Madrid’s academy in 2020 and achieved major success in the 2022–23 season by guiding the Juvenil A (U-19) team to a historic domestic treble.
Ahead of the 2025–26 campaign, he replaced club legend Raúl as Castilla head coach. Under his leadership, the side recorded 10 wins, nine defeats, and one draw, paving the way for his promotion to the senior role.
