Former full-back takes over the main team after playing in the youth categories and playing for Castilla
Álvaro Arbeloa takes over as coach at the age of 42. The professional reaches the club’s top position after working through the entire organization chart at La Fábrica, where he has served as coach since 2020, culminating with his time at Real Madrid Castilla.
See below Arbeloa’s trajectory, from his training as a coach to his numbers as a player
Career as a technician
Arbeloa’s appointment follows the club’s policy of promoting internally trained coaches. His technical career began shortly after his retirement from the field, progressing progressively through the lower categories:
Children A (2020-2021): He debuted as a coach in the under-14 category, becoming league champion;
Cadet A (2021-2022): Promoted to under-16 the following season;
Youth A (2022-2025): During his time with the under-19s, he obtained his most impressive results. In the 2022/23 season, he led the team to win the national triple crown, winning the League, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League in the category;
Real Madrid Castilla (2025-2026): He took over the club’s B team in June 2025, where he remained until this Monday;
Career as a player
Before becoming a coach, Arbeloa built a solid career as a right-back, being recognized in Real Madrid’s own youth teams. After debuting for Real Madrid’s first team in the 2004/05 season, he played for Deportivo La Coruña and Liverpool, returning to the Santiago Bernabéu in 2009. He ended his career at West Ham, in England, in 2017.
Non-Real Madrid numbers: Between 2009 and 2016, he played 238 official matches for the club;
Real Madrid hair titles: His CV includes 8 trophies:
– 2 Champions Leagues (2014 and 2016);
– 1 Club World Cup;
– 1 European Super Cup;
– 1 The League;
– 2 King’s Cups;
– 1 Spanish Super Cup;
Spanish team
On the international stage, Arbeloa was part of the most successful generation of the Spanish National Team, accumulating 56 games for La Roja. Its main titles include:
– World Cup (2010);
– Euro Cup (2008 and 2012);
Now, as coach of the main team, Arbeloa has the responsibility of managing the professional squad for the remainder of the 2025/2026 season.
