Real Madrid managers since Florentino Perez first became president in 2000

New Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso poses alongside president Florentino Perez after signing a contract with Los Blancos in May 2025.
New Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso poses alongside president Florentino Perez after signing a contract with Los Blancos in May 2025. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Real Madrid have appointed former midfield favourite Xabi Alonso as coach on a three-year contract.

The Basque takes over from Carlo Ancelotti, with the Italian departing as Los Blancos' most decorated coach following a successful second spell in charge at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Alonso, who has spent the past two seasons at Bayer Leverkusen and beat Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title in 2023/24, will take charge of Madrid for this summer's Club World Cup.

Here, a look at all of Madrid's managers since Florentino Pérez first became club president back in the summer of 2000...

Vicente del Bosque

Real Madrid coach Vicente del Bosque celebrates after Los Blancos' Champions League final win over Valencia in May 2000.

Real Madrid coach Vicente del Bosque celebrates after Los Blancos' Champions League final win over Valencia in May 2000. (Image credit: Getty Images)

After two short spells as a caretaker, Vicente del Bosque was appointed as Real Madrid coach on a full-time basis in November 1999 after John Toshack's dismissal.

Kept on by new president Florentino Pérez after the elections in the summer of 2000, Del Bosque led Madrid to the Champions League for a second time in 2002 and also won two La Liga titles but was surprisingly not renewed and left the club a day after sealing their 29th championship in May 2003. Six of his eight trophies came under Pérez. Later, he led Spain to World Cup and European Championship glory.

Carlos Queiroz

Real Madrid coach Carlos Queiroz gives instructions during a Champions League game against Bayern Munich in February 2004.

Real Madrid coach Carlos Queiroz gives instructions during a Champions League game against Bayern Munich in February 2004. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Former Manchester United assistant Carlos Queiroz was the surprise choice to succeed Vicente del Bosque at Real Madrid in the summer of 2003 as Los Blancos sought a more dynamic approach.

The Portuguese started well and won the Supercopa de España but Madrid fell away dramatically in the second half of the season, losing the Copa del Rey final to Real Zaragoza, going out of the Champions League to Monaco and capitulating in La Liga, eventually finishing fourth. Queiroz left at the end of the season.

José Antonio Camacho

Real Madrid coach Jose Antonio Camacho speaks in a press conference alongside president Florentino Perez in September 2004.

Real Madrid coach Jose Antonio Camacho speaks in a press conference alongside president Florentino Perez in September 2004. (Image credit: Getty Images)

A Real Madrid legend from his playing days, José Antonio Camacho was named coach of Los Blancos in 1998 but stepped down after just 22 days after disagreements with the board.

Appointed again as coach in a delicate moment by Florentino Pérez in May 2004, Camacho lasted just six games this time, handing in his resignation after defeats to Bayer Leverkusen and Espanyol in September.

Mariano García Remón

Real Madrid coach Mariano Garcia Remon gestures during a Champions League game at the Santiago Bernabeu in September 2004.

Real Madrid coach Mariano Garcia Remon gestures during a Champions League game at the Santiago Bernabeu in September 2004. (Image credit: Getty Images)

After José Antonio Camacho handed in his resignation, his assistant Mariano García Remón took over as Real Madrid coach.

The club's former goalkeeper oversaw 20 matches in total, with 12 wins, four draws and four defeats. He was sacked at Christmas as Florentino Pérez opted to bring in yet another coach.

Vanderlei Luxemburgo

Real Madrid coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo gives instructions during a game against Zaragoza in January 2005.

Real Madrid coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo gives instructions during a game against Zaragoza in January 2005. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Much-travelled Brazilian coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo was another surprise choice, taking over at Real Madrid in December 2004.

Luxemburgo lasted just under a year at the Santiago Bernabéu, leading Los Blancos to second place in La Liga in 2004/05 but losing his job after a series of poor performances in the following campaign and relieved of his duties not long after a 3-0 loss at home to Barcelona.

Juan Ramón López Caro

Real Madrid coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro gives instructions during a game against Osasuna in December 2005.

Real Madrid coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro gives instructions during a game against Osasuna in December 2005. (Image credit: Getty Images)

After working with Real Madrid's youth team, Juan Ramón López Caro was promoted to the senior side following the dismissal of Vanderlei Luxemburgo.

In charge for the second half of the 2005/06 season, López Caro oversaw 12 wins, nine draws and three defeats in 24 games overall but left at the end of the campaign as Madrid once again failed to win any silverware. President Florentino Pérez was gone by then, stepping down in late February following a series of poor results and bizarre appointments since Vicente del Bosque's exit in May 2003.

Fabio Capello

Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello gives instructions during a game against Gimnastic de Tarragona in March 2007.

Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello gives instructions during a game against Gimnastic de Tarragona in March 2007. (Image credit: Getty Images)

With Florentino Pérez no longer in charge and Juan Ramón López Caro also departed, new Real Madrid president Ramón Calderón brought in Fabio Capello as coach in the summer of 2006.

It turned out to be a difficult season for Los Blancos as Capello banished David Beckham to the stands after the England captain's announcement he would be joining LA Galaxy at the end of the campaign. But the Italian brought Beckham back in and Madrid closed the gap on Barcelona to snatch the title on the final day of the season. With his playing style unpopular, the Italian was sacked in the summer as his second spell in charge ended in the same way as his first back in 1996/97. He did win La Liga both times, though.

Bernd Schuster

Bernd Schuster poses for pictures following his appointment as Real Madrid coach in July 2007.

Bernd Schuster poses for pictures following his appointment as Real Madrid coach in July 2007. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Bernd Schuster was appointed as Real Madrid's coach in the summer of 2007 and led Los Blancos to the title in his first season, finishing eight points clear of Villarreal with Barcelona back in third.

He also won the Supercopa de España, but stepped down in December 2008 after a 4-3 loss to Sevilla and somewhat surprisingly admitting that his side could not compete with a resurgent Barcelona side flying high since the appointment of Pep Guardiola in the summer.

Juande Ramos

Real Madrid coach Juande Ramos holds the ball during a La Liga game against Valencia in December 2008.

Real Madrid coach Juande Ramos holds the ball during a La Liga game against Valencia in December 2008. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Former Sevilla and Tottenham manager Juande Ramos was appointed as Real Madrid coach after Bernd Schuster's exit and led Los Blancos on a remarkable run of 17 wins and a draw in La Liga.

That left Madrid just four points behind leaders Barcelona ahead of El Clásico at the Santiago Bernabéu in May, but Los Blancos were thrashed 6-2 by their fierce rivals and went on to lose all of their remaining four games as well. Ramos left at the end of the season.

Manuel Pellegrini

Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini looks on during a match against Almeria in April 2010.

Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini looks on during a match against Almeria in April 2010. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Florentino Pérez returned as Real Madrid president amid much fanfare in 2009 and the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaká, Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso arrived in a huge summer spending spree.

Manuel Pellegrini was chosen as Los Blancos' new coach after leading Villarreal to second place the previous campaign but could not improve on that finish at Madrid and was dismissed after a sole season in charge, with the writing on the wall ever since a disastrous defeat to third-tier side Alcorcón in the Copa del Rey in October.

José Mourinho

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho gestures during a game against Atletico Madrid in November 2010.

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho gestures during a game against Atletico Madrid in November 2010. (Image credit: Getty Images)

After leading Inter to the treble in May 2010 and winning the Champions League final against Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabéu, José Mourinho stepped down and was appointed by Real Madrid days later.

Mourinho made Madrid competitive again in the Champions League, leading Los Blancos to three consecutive semi-finals after years of early exits. His Real side beat Barcelona to win the Copa del Rey final in 2010/11, racking up a record 100 points in La Liga en route to the title the following season. He also won the Supercopa de España, but left in the summer of 2013.

Carlo Ancelotti

Carlo Ancelotti celebrates with the Champions League trophy after Real Madrid's win over Atletico Madrid in the final in May 2014.

Carlo Ancelotti celebrates with the Champions League trophy after Real Madrid's win over Atletico Madrid in the final in May 2014. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Carlo Ancelotti succeeded José Mourinho in the summer of 2013 and led Real Madrid to Copa del Rey and Champions League titles in his first season in charge.

Dismissed after a comparatively disappointing campaign in 2014/15, he returned for a second spell in 2021 and was in charge for four seasons this time, winning a further 11 trophies including two more Champions Leagues to become the most decorated coach in the club's history. After leaving in May 2025, he was unveiled as Brazil boss.

Rafa Benítez

Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez looks on during a game against Real Sociedad in December 2015.

Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez looks on during a game against Real Sociedad in December 2015. (Image credit: Getty Images)

A former Real Madrid academy player, youth coach and assistant, Rafa Benítez was appointed as manager following Carlo Ancelotti's exit in the summer of 2015.

Unpopular with many of the players, Benítez was heavily criticised by the media and was on borrowed time after a 4-0 loss at home to Barcelona in November. He was eventually sacked in January after just 22 games in charge.

Zinédine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane pictured during his first training session as Real Madrid coach in January 2016.

Zinedine Zidane pictured during his first training session as Real Madrid coach in January 2016. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Following the dismissal of Rafa Benítez, Real Madrid legend Zinédine Zidane was promoted from the youth team to take charge of the senior side.

Zidane led Madrid to three consecutive Champions League titles in a hugely successful spell between January 2016 and May 2018, deciding to walk away that summer. He returned for a second period in charge and added another La Liga title in 2019/20. In total, he won 11 trophies across two stints as Madrid coach.

Julen Lopetegui

Real Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui looks on ahead of a game against Sevilla at the Sanchez Pizjuan in September 2018.

Real Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui looks on ahead of a game against Sevilla at the Sanchez Pizjuan in September 2018. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Sacked by Spain on the eve of the 2018 World Cup as news of his agreement to join Real Madrid after the tournament was leaked, Julen Lopetegui was unveiled at the Santiago Bernabéu soon afterwards.

Spain's World Cup ended in failure and Lopetegui's Madrid reign was short-lived as he managed just six wins in 14 games, with star player Cristiano Ronaldo having left in the summer for Juventus, and he was sacked after a 5-1 defeat at Barcelona in late October.

Santiago Solari

Real Madrid coach Santiago Solari speaks to the media in January 2019.

Real Madrid coach Santiago Solari speaks to the media in January 2019. (Image credit: Getty Images)

A popular player from Real Madrid's Galáctico era, Santiago Solari took over as caretaker manager after the sacking of Julen Lopetegui and was then appointed to the role permanently.

Solari led Madrid to the Club World Cup in December and won 22 of his 32 games in charge, but was dismissed after Madrid lost 4-1 at home to Ajax and crashed out of the Champions League in the last 16 in March as Zinédine Zidane returned for a second spell.

Xabi Alonso

Xabi Alonso speaks to the media following his unveiling as Real Madrid coach in May 2025.

Xabi Alonso speaks to the media following his unveiling as Real Madrid coach in May 2025. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Following successful second spells at Real Madrid for both Zinédine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti, Los Blancos moved to appoint Xabi Alonso as their coach in May 2025.

The club's former midfielder takes charge ahead of this summer's Club World Cup and has signed a three-year contract with Los Blancos.

Ben Hayward
Freelance Writer

Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.