Former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has offered some insight into his success with Los Blancos. The Frenchman won the Champions League three times during his time in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu as well as claiming two La Liga titles. Madrid are currently in the midst of a difficult season after sacking Xabi Alonso midway through his first campaign as boss and replacing him with Alvaro Arbeloa.
Morgan Rogers is being tipped to complete a stunning £80 million ($107m) transfer to a Premier League powerhouse at some point in the not too distant future. Former Villans striker Stan Collymore has explained to GOAL why the England international will likely be on the move in upcoming windows and which teams will be leading the chase for his signature.
Sportico have released their annual highest-paid athletes list, with Cristiano Ronaldo sitting at the top of that chart. The Portuguese GOAT earned double what eternal rival Lionel Messi pulled in over the course of 2025, with the Al-Nassr forward making $260 million (£194m). There are 13 football players in the top 100, with Brazilian icon Neymar tumbling down the standings.
Bayern Munich’s teenage sensation Lennart Karl has left fans baffled and amused after a video surfaced showing him wearing custom shinpads adorned with an image of Lionel Messi. The 17-year-old, who recently sparked controversy by publicly declaring his desire to play for Real Madrid, seems to have forgotten the fierce rivalry between his "dream" club and the Barcelona legend he apparently idolises.
Real Madrid were woeful defensively, and despite goals from Franco Mastantuono and Gonzalo Garcia, succumbed to second division Albacete in the Copa Del Rey, losing 3-2 on Wednesday to get Alvaro Arbeloa's reign off to a forgettable start. Los Blancos had most of the ball throughout, but created few clear cut chances. The home side, meanwhile, were clinical - and good value for the win.
Alvaro Arbeloa has made a bold statement in his first squad selection as Real Madrid manager, opting to leave superstars Jude Bellingham and Thibaut Courtois at home for the Copa del Rey clash against Albacete. With Kylian Mbappe already ruled out through injury, the new boss has turned to La Fabrica to fill the void, calling up five academy starlets to plug the gaps in a depleted squad for the crucial round of 16 tie.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has offered a sympathetic but guarded response to the dismissal of his Real Madrid counterpart Xabi Alonso, insisting that while he maintains a "very good relationship" with the Basque coach, the ruthless nature of the decision is simply "part of football." Alonso was sacked this week midway through his debut season in charge following the Spanish Super Cup defeat to Flick's team.
Virginia Fonseca, the girlfriend of Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior, has angrily shut down rumours of an impending marriage to the Brazil international. The pair are reported to have been dating for around three months, and Fonseca insists there are no plans afoot for a wedding just yet.
The latest video from the football humour factory that is 442oons shows how Kylian Mbappe successfully orchestrated Xabi Alonso's exit from Real Madrid. Featuring cameos from Lionel Messi, Arne Slot and England boss Thomas Tuchel, watch as the French striker leads his reluctant team-mates in singing a special version of the children's nursery rhyme 'If You're Happy And You Know It'
The explosive details behind Xabi Alonso’s shock departure from Real Madrid have been revealed, with the manager reportedly losing patience with his squad months before his sacking. In a moment of pure frustration during a training session, the Basque tactician screamed at his stars: "I didn’t know I was coming to coach a nursery," marking the point of no return for his tenure at the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez wants to appoint Jose Mourinho as Xabi Alonso's long-term successor, according to a theory floated by Spanish journalist Alfredo Relano. Los Blancos have sacked the former Liverpool midfielder and appointed Alvaro Arbeloa as interim head coach, with Relano branding him a "snitch".
Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham has hit back angrily at reports that he did not support manager Xabi Alonso during his tenure at Real Madrid. Alonso parted company with Los Blancos in the wake of their Spanish Super Cup defeat to Barcelona after just eight months in charge. There has been speculation about problems in the dressing room at Madrid but Bellingham insists he is not involved.
Real Madrid's new head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has played down the prospect of replicating the managerial style of his former boss Jose Mourinho. Arbeloa has been placed in charge of the first-team squad at the Bernabeu following Xabi Alonso's surprise exit from the club on Monday, departing after only 34 matches at the helm.
Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham has been branded a "snake" for posting a delayed response to Xabi Alonso's exit. The former midfielder has left his role as manager after just eight months in charge, with Bellingham taking his time before posting a farewell message to the coach. The move has not gone down well with some supporters who have expressed their feelings on social media.
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp would reportedly "seriously consider" replacing Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid if they come calling. Alonso has left the Bernabeu after just eight months in charge, with Alvaro Arbeloa taking charge of the team. Klopp is currently working as the Head of Global Soccer at Red Bull, but it has been claimed he could be tempted back into football management by Real Madrid.
Kylian Mbappe defied medical advice and risked a serious knee injury in a desperate bid to save Xabi Alonso’s job at Real Madrid. The French superstar played through the pain barrier in the Spanish Super Cup final defeat to Barcelona, knowing that a loss would likely spell the end for the Basque coach, with whom he shared a close bond despite their short time together at the Bernabeu.
UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov has unleashed a furious tirade against Real Madrid's stars following the shock dismissal of Xabi Alonso. The undefeated fighter did not hold back in his assessment of the situation at the Bernabeu, branding the squad "spoiled brats" and insisting that the club should have cleared out the dressing room rather than sacking one of the world's best tactical minds.
Kylian Mbappe played no part in Real Madrid’s first training session since taking the decision to part with head coach Xabi Alonso. He was relieved of his duties in the wake of a Spanish Super Cup final defeat to Barcelona, with the axe falling within 24 hours of that setback in Saudi Arabia being suffered. Reins have been passed to Alvaro Arbeloa on an interim basis, but he is not yet working with French superstar Mbappe.
Xabi Alonso has broken his silence following his abrupt departure from Real Madrid, issuing a dignified statement that addresses his time in the dugout. The Basque tactician was relieved of his duties just a day after a painful Super Cup defeat to Barcelona, but he refused to show bitterness, instead sending a clear message of gratitude to his squad and the Bernabeu faithful.
Jurgen Klopp has responded to speculation suggesting that he could be a contender to succeed Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid. The Blancos have made another change in their dugout early in 2026. Klopp is “genuinely surprised” that the Liga giants wielded the axe at this stage, with the former Liverpool boss seeking to distance himself from a now vacant post.
Despite only linking up with Lyon at the start of the January transfer window, it has been revealed that Endrick could be returned to parent club Real Madrid within a matter of days. The Blancos have parted company with head coach Xabi Alonso, meaning that clean slates are on offer at Santiago Bernabeu, and they hold a recall option when it comes to Endrick.
The final image of Xabi Alonso as Real Madrid manager - and one that tells the story of his time in charge at the Bernabeu - was of someone else telling him what to do. After Sunday's Supercopa de Espana loss to Barcelona, Alonso gestured to his players that they should give a guard of honour to their victorious opponents as they went to collect the trophy. Kylian Mbappe, though, was having none of it, and insisted his team-mates follow his lead. They did just that - and so too did Alonso.
Kylian Mbappe was the first high-profile Real Madrid star to address Xabi Alonso’s sudden departure as the club’s manager. It was announced on January 12, less than 24 hours after a Super Cup defeat to Clasico rivals Barcelona, that a change in the dugout was being made at Santiago Bernabeu. Mbappe, who is said to have clashed with Alonso, has posted a message on social media.
Xabi Alonso has been bluntly told following his sudden departure why he was never going to succeed as Real Madrid's manager. The Spaniard swapped Bayer Leverkusen for his former club last summer but his time at the Spanish giants was abruptly brought to an end on Monday. Now, a legend of La Liga has given his take on the 44-year-old's short stint at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Real Madrid
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