Real Madrid announced the appointment of Xabi Alonso as their new head coach on Sunday, confirming that the Spaniard will take charge from June 1 and lead the team into the Club World Cup. “Xabi Alonso will coach Real Madrid for the next three seasons, from June 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028,” the club said in an official statement. With veteran Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti set to take over the Brazilian national team, Madrid finalised a long-anticipated deal with their former midfielder, Alonso. Alonso, 43, leaves German side Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the Bundesliga season after finishing second. “Alonso is one of the biggest legends at Real Madrid and in world football,” continued Los Blancos’ statement. “He wore our shirt in 236 games between 2009 and 2014. During that time he won six trophies.” Alonso will be officially unveiled on Monday at 10:30 GMT. The Spanish coach led Bayer Leverkusen to a historic league and German Cup double in the 2023–2024 season, finishing the Bundesliga campaign unbeaten—a feat that attracted attention from top European clubs. Alonso, a Basque native, had a clause in his contract with Leverkusen allowing him to leave if approached by one of his former clubs, including Real Madrid, Liverpool, or Bayern Munich. Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid had a lacklustre season, securing the European Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup but exiting the Champions League in the quarter-finals at the hands of Arsenal. Barcelona, meanwhile, defeated Real Madrid in both the Spanish Super Cup and Copa del Rey finals, before reclaiming the La Liga title, leaving Madrid without a major domestic or European trophy.