Xabi Alonso set to take charge of Real Madrid ahead of FIFA Club World Cup

According to top-tier insider Fabrizio Romano, Xabi Alonso has reached a full agreement with Real Madrid to become their new head coach starting June 1, 2025 — with the Spaniard expected to lead Los Blancos into the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup.

While there’s been no official confirmation from either party yet, virtually all major sports outlets are treating Alonso’s appointment as a done deal. Rumours of other candidates — such as Antonio Conte — have surfaced, but insiders suggest those options are not being seriously considered at this point.

Alonso is currently wrapping up his historic tenure at Bayer Leverkusen. Under his leadership, the club won the 2023/24 Bundesliga for the first time in its history, going an entire 34-match league season unbeaten. They also claimed the DFB-Pokal, completing a rare domestic double.

Madrid prepare for a new era under club legend Alonso

For many fans and pundits alike, Alonso’s return to the Santiago Bernabéu feels like the natural next step in his meteoric rise as a manager. A Champions League winner and midfield maestro during his playing days at Madrid, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich, Alonso now looks set to begin a new chapter with Real Madrid — this time from the dugout.