
Xabi Alonso’s first test as Real Madrid’s new boss unfolded at the FIFA Club World Cup, where he led his team to statement victories and one embarassing defeat.
After finding historic success at Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso bid farewell to the German outfit at the end of the 2024–25 season to manage his former club. The Spaniard had less than two weeks with Real Madrid before he took his new team to the United States to compete in the newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup.