Five leading contenders to become Real Madrid manager | OneFootball

Real Madrid are rumoured to be considering change at the season’s end with Carlo Ancelotti’s future unclear.

A disappointing European exit against Arsenal has raised question marks over Ancelotti’s role, with Real Madrid also trailing Barcelona in the La Liga title race. The Italian is also a target for Brazil, who are seeking a new head coach to lead them to next summer’s World Cup.

Amid rumours of change at the Bernabeu, we’ve looked at potential successors. Here are five leading contenders to become Real Madrid’s next manager.

Five leading contenders to replace Carlo Ancelotti as Real Madrid manager

Xabi Alonso

The clear frontrunner, Xabi Alonso’s achievements at Bayer Leverkusen have not gone unnoticed. After leading Leverkusen up the Bundesliga table after arriving mid-season in 2022/23, Alonso’s first full campaign at the helm was historic.

Leverkusen lifted the Bundesliga for the first time, achieving the feat without losing a game to emphatically end Bayern Munich’s stranglehold on the league. The DFB-Pokal also arrived as part of an unbeaten German double, with defeat in the Europa League final all that prevented an invincible treble. Leverkusen set a new European record for consecutive competitive matches without a loss (49), breaking Benfica’s record of 48 games set between 1963 and 1965.

Alonso turned down reported interest from Liverpool to remain at Leverkusen, who have struggled to match last season’s exploits. However, the 43-year-old’s stock remains high and Real Madrid are admirers of their former midfielder.

Earlier this month, Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro revealed the club have a “gentleman’s agreement” with Alonso that means he could leave the Bundesliga side to take over at one of the clubs he represented as a player, including Real Madrid and Liverpool.

“In a few weeks, we’ll know if there’s a coaching change at our clubs, but the fact is that we’re a very professional club and we have to be prepared for anything,” Carro said.

“From the moment we signed Xabi, we knew he was going to be a great coach, and from the moment you sign one, you have to prepare others. His signing wasn’t just a one-off. First, we signed him for a year and a half until 2024, and then until 2026.

“By signing him until 2026, we had confidence he’d stay. We can sleep peacefully, have a good breakfast, and be prepared for any eventuality. We have a gentleman’s agreement, and if a team he’s played for comes along, we can sit down.”

Midfield Magicians: Xabi Alonso, the grand master of 4D chess

Andoni Iraola

Andoni Iraola’s intensity has brought Bournemouth into European contention. The Cherries’ exciting young side sit eighth in the Premier League. Having led Bournemouth to their highest-ever Premier League points total (48) in 2023/24, Iraola has surpassed that mark with five games to spare this time around.

The move to Real Madrid would represent a significant step up for the 42-year-old, but his past experience of La Liga and rapidly flourishing reputation have placed him in the conversation.

Real Madrid have watched Bournemouth closely this season, with interest in defensive duo Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez.

Jurgen Klopp

Jurgen Klopp’s agent attempted to quieten down talk of Klopp taking charge at Real Madrid this month – but the noise is unlikely to die down.

Klopp is arguably the best manager available on the market, even if the German signed with Red Bull as their new Head of Global Football in January. The 57-year-old has won the Champions League and league titles in Germany and England, with Klopp calling time on his decorated time with Liverpool at the end of last season.

In nine-and-a-half years with the Reds, he led Liverpool to a clean sweep of major trophies and reached three Champions League finals – twice losing to Real Madrid.

Publicly, Klopp has said he is content away from the dugout, but the chance to take charge of world football’s biggest institution would be hard to turn down. With Hansi Flick in post at Barcelona, a fascinating German coaching rivalry in El Clásico would be some watch.

Zinedine Zidane

Could Real Madrid return for their former favourite?

The managerial career of Zinedine Zidane is a puzzling one. The Frenchman is one of the most decorated coaches of all time, having had two spells in charge of Real Madrid.

His two stints with the Spaniards saw Zidane lift two La Liga titles and become the first coach in history to win the Champions League three times in a row. Zidane has opted not to return to management since concluding his second stint with the Spaniards in May 2021.

The 52-year-old has snubbed roles including the United States national team and will only return when – or if – the right role emerges.

Raul

Few figures are as beloved at Real Madrid as Raul.

No footballer has ever worn the Real Madrid shirt more times than Raul, who was the club’s record scorer at the time of his exit, bringing a close to a career that delivered six La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues among his honours.

Raul has been in charge of Real Madrid’s Castilla team since 2019, overseeing the development of the club’s best talents. Since his arrival, names including Fran Garcia and Raul Asencio have graduated to the senior ranks.

Raul’s appointment would represent a gamble, but few have a clearer idea of the unrelenting demands of the Madridistas.

Read – 90s Hitmen: Raul – Real Madrid and Champions League royalty

See more – Iconic Performances: When Zidane left the Portuguese chasing shadows at Euro 2000

Follow The Football Faithful on Social Media:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | TikTok