ALVARO ARBELOA APPOINTED: THE FORMER DEFENDER REPLACES XABI ALONSO AS REAL MADRID HEAD COACH
Real Madrid confirms Alvaro Arbeloa as permanent head coach after Xabi Alonso's shock exit. Inside the 2026 Bernabéu shake-up.
Real Madrid didn’t waste any time shaking things up this season. After just half a season, they let Xabi Alonso go.
The club brought Alonso in during the summer of 2025, hoping for big things. Sure, Madrid was still in the hunt for trophies on all fronts, but the results just didn’t live up to what the club demands. And honestly, things weren’t great behind the scenes either. Alonso struggled to connect with the squad, and a few players weren’t exactly thrilled with his approach.
So now, Alvaro Arbeloa steps in. He’s a familiar face—a former Real Madrid defender—and he’s been waiting patiently for this chance.
Let’s take a closer look at Arbeloa and how he fits as Madrid’s new head coach.
Arbeloa hasn’t managed a senior team before this. He started out coaching Madrid’s Under-14s back in 2020, working his way up through the youth and reserve ranks. This past May, after Raul left Castilla (frustrated after getting passed over for the top job several times), Arbeloa took over as head coach of the reserve team.
He was actually a candidate for the main job when Alonso got it, and people inside the club have always spoken highly of him.
Madrid isn’t calling him an interim manager, either. According to their official statement, Arbeloa is the permanent head coach—no mention of a search for anyone else. All signs point to him being Alonso’s full-time replacement. He was in the running last summer, too, right after Ancelotti left.
What about his record with Castilla? Well, tracking youth and reserve stats isn’t easy, but here’s what we know. Since taking charge, Arbeloa’s team has won 12 out of 23 games, drawn three, and lost eight. Early on, they hit a rough patch with four straight defeats in September, but then bounced back to win 10 of their next 19.
Of course, reserve teams are always tricky to judge. The squad changes constantly, and young players are still learning the ropes. Even so, Madrid Castilla plays in Spain’s third tier—Primera Federación, Group 1—and after 19 matches with Arbeloa at the helm, they were sitting in fourth place. That’s not too shabby.
As for his playing days, Arbeloa spent a big chunk of his career at Real Madrid, mostly as a right-back. He came up through Madrid’s academy, got a couple of games with the senior team, then spent a couple of years at Deportivo La Coruña, followed by three seasons at Liverpool. After that, he returned to Madrid and stayed for seven years.
Between 2009 and 2016, Arbeloa made 238 appearances for Los Blancos, scoring six goals. He helped the team win two Champions Leagues (2014, 2016), a La Liga title, two Copa del Rey trophies, and a Spanish Super Cup.
On top of that, he earned 56 caps for Spain and was part of the squads that won the 2010 World Cup and back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and 2012.
100 DAYS LEFT: KYLIAN MBAPPE ENTERS A DESPERATE RACE TO BE FIT FOR FRANCE
Kylian Mbappe’s World Cup is in danger: Read about the "significant" PCL injury, the City absence, and the 100-day fitness race.
Real Madrid really didn’t want to lose Kylian Mbappe, not even for a little while. The guy’s on fire; he just won the European Golden Boot, and he looked set to do it again in 2025-26. Then the knee problem hit, and suddenly, he’s missing games in 2026.
Even though he tried to play through the pain, things got worse. Now he’s already missed the last two matches. He’ll skip the game against Celta Vigo on March 6, and he’s also out for the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 against Manchester City.
Madrid hopes he’ll be back for the second leg, but is that actually realistic? The World Cup’s only four months away, and you know coach Didier Deschamps has to be worried.
Turns out, Mbappe’s injury might be a lot more serious than what’s been reported. Journalist Antón Meana talked about it on El Larguero, saying it’s not just a minor thing. With just 100 days until the World Cup, Mbappe and the whole French squad have a lot to stress about.
“There’s an issue that’s not resolved, and it’s very important: Mbappé’s situation. The player’s left posterior cruciate ligament is at its limit. We’ll call it a ‘sprain’ because that’s what the medical report says, but the injury is truly significant. There are 100 days left until the World Cup, and Mbappé doesn’t have a single one to spare. Not one. He needs all 100 of those 100 days to recover and be ready to play in the World Cup.”
Meana also mentioned that Madrid’s idea of when Mbappe will be back doesn’t match what Mbappe’s own camp thinks.
“So, the timeline set by Real Madrid, who believe Mbappé has a chance of being fit for the second leg against City, isn’t shared by Mbappé’s entourage. They know that date is possible, but playing that soon is risky, and he’s not going to take any chances right now. We’ll see how long that lasts.”
Real Madrid obviously want their star striker back as soon as possible; they’re chasing trophies. But he’s also key for France in the World Cup. If they rush him and he gets hurt again, things could get pretty tense.
THE ACL/MCL ANATOMY: DEEP DIVE INTO THE "UNHAPPY TRIAD" INJURY ENDING RODRYGO’S 2026 SEASON
Rodrygo’s World Cup is over: Read about his ACL/MCL tear, the 10-month recovery, and how this opens the door for Neymar’s return.
Rodrygo, Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward, is out of the World Cup after tearing his ACL. He lasted just 35 minutes in Real’s 1-0 loss to Getafe before going down with a brutal knee injury. The club took him off straight away, and scans showed even worse news: he tore his ACL and his MCL in the same knee. He’s looking at around ten months on the sidelines.
Real Madrid put out a statement Tuesday confirming the injury: a torn anterior cruciate ligament and lateral meniscus in his right leg. Rodrygo, who’s 25, now faces surgery and a long road back.
It’s a huge blow. Rodrygo had been linked with a Premier League move last summer, but he stayed at Madrid and became one of their key players, moving all across the front line. He’s already played 27 games this season, popping up on both wings and through the middle.
For Brazil, he’s just as important. He played every one of their friendlies in October and November, scored twice, set up another, and his ability to slot in anywhere up front meant he was basically a lock for the World Cup squad.
Rodrygo was also one of Neymar’s most vocal supporters, pushing for his hero to get another World Cup call-up. Neymar, now back at Santos and still Brazil’s all-time top scorer, has played Brazil’s last four games, but his place in the squad is still up in the air. Rodrygo was clear about where he stood: “For me, there’s not even a discussion. We need him. It just won’t feel right to win without Neymar.” But he also admitted Neymar needs to be fit, especially after knee surgery.
Now, though, Rodrygo has lost his chance to play alongside Neymar at the World Cup. Ironically, his absence could give Neymar a better shot at making Carlo Ancelotti’s final squad.
Brazil’s coaches are leaving their decision on Neymar as late as possible. He’s in his mid-30s, and they’re watching his recovery closely. He didn’t get called up for the recent friendlies against France and Croatia, but with Rodrygo out, the situation could change.
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