White House shuffle: Xabi Alonso rewrites Real Madrid's playbook

Real Madrid's footballing White House has a new president. Xabi Alonso earns his first taste of top-flight club football as head coach in the freshly redesigned Club World Cup.

He will go head‑to‑head with Al Hilal, beneficiaries of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund's heavy investment in global football projects. Expectations surrounding the Tolosa-born coach are soaring—but why, and what should the fans expect?

Tactical blueprint

Alonso steps into a legacy that he respects and intends to preserve. In his introductory press conference, he praised Carlo Ancelotti and acknowledged the coach's imprint on the Santiago Bernabeu.

Thanks to a smooth transitional strategy, fans quickly moved past episodes of tactical stagnation during Ancelotti's final campaign—memorable chiefly for the limp display against Athletic Bilbao.

That kind of impotence must not be repeated. With 140 matches under his belt at Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso has shown he can adapt to modern positional demands - full-backs providing width, dynamic midfielders, defensively flexible backlines and a front line capable of interchangeability.

Madrid's squad is well stocked to execute his vision as he'll need complete synchronicity between Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo—among whom recent transfer rumours have swirled.

Alonso is likely to extract maximum output from Fede Valverde's relentless engine, Jude Bellingham's versatility and Dean Huijsen's untapped potential, the latest recruit in Madrid's sporting project.

The coach's regime is expected to prioritise high press—an essential feature of modern football. While tactical nuance will matter, turning stars into a collective defensive unit will be just as crucial.

His early training sessions have demonstrated the kind of vigour he intends to instil, making his methods on the pitch eagerly anticipated.

New signings

Madrid's only signings last summer were Mbappe and Endrick. Ahead of the Club World Cup mini-transfer window, they've added Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth, Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool, and Franco Mastantuono from River Plate.

These signings are youth-focused and brimming with potential—ideal for the manager's long-term development strategy. Huijsen issues solidity at centre-back, an area several felt Madrid lacked last year, partly due to injuries and Ancelotti's limited reliance on the academy players.

Alexander-Arnold's signing, meanwhile, presents a tactical puzzle—his attacking instincts must be balanced defensively, but in Alonso's system, he could thrive by overlapping behind Mbappe, Vinícius and Rodrygo.

Only 17-year-old Mastantuono makes the most intriguing case. With dazzling ball control and a stunning goal in the Superclasico, he's viewed as an emerging talent—a raw diamond who Alonso can sculpt into a global star.

However, he will feature for River Plate in the 2025 Club World Cup campaign, meaning he will join Los Blancos only after the tournament concludes.

Youth and rotation

Summer's attacking overload restricted minutes for youngsters like Endrick—fans wished Ancelotti had utilised him more. Under Alonso, that balance should change; his Real Sociedad background suggests a stronger pathway for academy talent.

If Huijsen and Mastantuono earn regular minutes, and Endrick becomes more involved, the team's average age and reliance on established stars would drop—pressuring the first team and motivating the youth ranks.

That model could allow the club to reset economically, yet maintain competitive performance. Alonso may be the ideal guide for this generational transition. Just eight years ago, he was orchestrating Bayern's midfield.

With a resume that spans Real Madrid, Liverpool and Real Sociedad, few would question his ability to nurture talent—particularly advising players like Bellingham on long-ball play.

Rotation, too, will be a focal point. Since 2021, under Ancelotti, squad rotation has been limited. Alonso is expected to signal a shift towards greater use of the depth in Madrid's often-underutilised roster. With a packed calendar ahead, this will be essential for survival across competitions.