Everything has gone according to plan for Real Madrid. This past weekend marked a farewell for Carlo Ancelotti, the coach who delivered years of glory and important titles to the club—though not without closing out a season that fell short of expectations. Now begins a new era with the arrival of Xabi Alonso as Real Madrid’s new head coach, who will aim to revolutionize the white team.

Xabi Alonso’s Big Challenge at Real Madrid: The New 2025 FIFA Club World Cup

The revamped 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be the first major test for Real Madrid's new coach. With little time to prepare, intense weeks of work lie ahead to arrive in top form for a tournament that debuts a new format—and where Real Madrid is one of the favorites to win it all.

Xabi Alonso’s Style: High Press, Discipline, and Key Signings

Xabi Alonso’s mission at Real Madrid is to implement his own tactical identity, leaving behind the Ancelotti era. His model is based on an organized team with a constant high press—a tactical approach that worked successfully at Bayer Leverkusen, where he won the 2024 Bundesliga undefeated.

Real Madrid’s Tactical Revolution Under Xabi Alonso

Last season clearly exposed the physical and tactical fatigue within the squad. A lack of a defined playing style and low intensity were recurring issues. Now, the true challenge begins: to install a new footballing philosophy never before seen at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Xabi Alonso, a World Cup-winning player, prefers to play with a five-man defensive line. In this setup, players like Antonio Rüdiger, Rafa Marín, and Huijsen could become key figures in defense, while Trent Alexander-Arnold and Álvaro Carreras are rumored Real Madrid signings to reinforce the wing-back roles.

Xabi Alonso and His Path to Success

Defensive discipline and organized pressing have been hallmarks of Xabi Alonso’s coaching success. In just three seasons at the top level, he went from keeping Leverkusen from relegation to achieving a historic double in Germany: Bundesliga and German Cup.

His time in the Bundesliga confirmed what many expected: he was fully prepared to take over the Real Madrid bench. The key question now is whether he’ll have enough time to establish his project and compete at the highest level in the 2025 Club World Cup. Because at Real Madrid, the goal is always the same: win every title.