After the separation of Real Madrid and Xabi Alonso, Alvaro Arbeloa (42) is the new coach of the Spanish football giant, as the “Royal Club” announced.
Arbeola takes charge of Real Madrid just months after leaving second team Castilla in fourth place in the third division. He began his coaching career with the U14 team in September 2020, and two years later he became coach of the U19 team.
As a player, Arbeloa was part of Real Madrid during one of the most successful periods in the club’s history. He wore the Real Madrid jersey between 2009 and 2016 and played 238 competitive games.
During that time he won eight trophies – two Champions League titles, a Club World Cup, a UEFA Super Cup, a La Liga title, two Copa del Rey titles and a Spanish Super Cup.
With the Spanish national team he won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and two European Championships (2008, 2012). In total, he played 56 games in the “Furije” jersey.
Arbeloa will succeed Xabi Alonso in the Real Madrid dugout, who is leaving after just 28 games as the club’s head coach, in which he achieved 20 wins.
Alonso arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu from Bayer Leverkusen last summer and leaves the club just 24 hours after losing to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final.
Real Madrid announces that it has been decided by mutual agreement between the club and Xabi Alonso to end his role as head coach. Alonso will always enjoy the affection and admiration of all Madridistas because he is a Real Madrid legend and has always embodied the values of our club. Real Madrid will always be his home.
Barca also lead the Championship by four points over Real, while the ‘Royal Club’ is currently in seventh place in the Champions League with 12 points, six points behind leaders Arsenal.
Arbeola will make his debut for Albacete in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.
Photo: AFP/JAVIER SORIANA
