Real Madrid Appoints Álvaro Arbeloa As First-Team Manager After Success With Youth Teams
Real Madrid has named former defender and Castilla coach Álvaro Arbeloa as the club’s new first-team manager, the club confirmed in an official statement.
The 43-year-old, a lifelong Madridista, moves up after six years of coaching within Real Madrid’s youth academy and reserve setup, making his appointment a major internal promotion.
According to the club, “Álvaro Arbeloa will be the new first-team coach. He has been in charge of Castilla since June 2025 and has spent his entire coaching career in our youth academy since 2020. He led the Under-14s A to a league title in 2020–2021, coached the Under-16s in 2021–2022, and the Under-19s from 2022 to 2025. With the Under-19s, he won a treble in 2022–2023 (League, Copa del Rey, and UEFA Youth League) and another league title in 2024–2025.”
Arbeloa enjoyed a distinguished playing career at Real Madrid from 2009 to 2016, making 238 appearances and winning eight major trophies, including two Champions League titles, one La Liga crown, two Copa del Rey trophies, one Club World Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, and one Spanish Super Cup. He was also part of Spain’s golden generation, lifting the 2010 World Cup and the 2008 and 2012 European Championships.
The appointment follows the mutual departure of Xabi Alonso as first-team coach earlier this month. Sources say Arbeloa’s promotion is aimed at maintaining continuity, prioritizing youth development, and leveraging his deep knowledge of the club during this transitional period.
During his playing days, Arbeloa was known for his versatility, tactical intelligence, and reliability as a full-back. He played a key role during the shift from the Galácticos era to the Cristiano Ronaldo-led dominance, contributing to multiple domestic and European titles.
Arbeloa began his coaching career immediately after retiring in 2017, joining Real Madrid’s academy in 2020. He quickly gained a reputation for nurturing talent and implementing possession-based, structured football. His greatest success came with the Juvenil A (Under-19) team, securing a historic treble in 2022–2023 and a league title in 2024–2025.
After stepping up to Castilla in June 2025, he guided the reserve team to a mid-table finish in the Primera Federación while integrating several academy graduates into the first-team squad.
Club president Florentino Pérez is said to have personally backed Arbeloa’s promotion, seeing him as the ideal link between Real Madrid’s youth system and the senior team.
