Ancelotti will reportedly leave Real Madrid towards the end of the season, so who could be his replacement?
Carlo Ancelotti’s second spell in charge of Real Madrid is reportedly approaching its end, with the celebrated manager expected to leave sometime in the coming weeks but that forces the question – who will succeed him and take the helm of one of Europe’s most ambitious teams?
Ancelotti ushered in an era of stability for Los Blancos when he returned in 2021, winning two La Liga titles and two UEFA Champions League trophies while also stewarding the ship for a new generation of galacticos after Kylian Mbappe joined the likes of Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham last summer. The manager’s second spell in the Spanish capital, though, was never meant to last forever, and rumblings that he might leave Real Madrid for the Brazil national team have only picked up steam in recent weeks. Though Ancelotti’s exit seems likely, it is still unclear whether or not he will still be with Real Madrid for the Club World Cup in June.
Regardless of when Ancelotti finally departs Spain, there is a big task ahead for the next manager. This month’s crushing Champions League elimination by Arsenal revealed exactly how much work there is to do for Ancelotti’s successor – not only has this new, all-star edition of the team yet to strike a successful balance, an inconsistent defense and some aging stars suggest a refresh is needed in several positions. The new manager will be asked to create a new vision for this team while living up to the club’s immensely high standards, no matter if a rebuild feels at odds with their perennial quest to win silverware.
As the countdown to Real Madrid’s announcement on Ancelotti’s successor begins, here’s a ranking of the candidates who might be in the running.
5. Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen Klopp being name-dropped by some oddsmakers, perhaps because there is a report out of Brazil suggesting he is unhappy as the head of global soccer at Red Bull just months after taking the job. Though it might be fun to ponder what a manager of his caliber could do with Real Madrid’s star-studded roster, the move feels extremely unlikely, especially with Klopp’s agent coming out with a statement saying that the former Liverpool boss is “very happy” in his current role. Time to cross this one off the list.
4. Raul
Just like any club, Real Madrid have the option to look internally and if they decide to go that route, Raul would be the pick. One of the club’s most storied players, the Madrid native has been in charge of the reserve team since 2019 and is likely looking for a promotion sooner rather than later. He might be too inexperienced for a job with such high expectations, though, so Raul is unlikely to be the pick this time around. It feels similar to Santiago Solari, who was the Real Madrid reserves boss before joining the senior team in 2018 as caretaker manager after the sacking of Julen Lopetegui. By March, he was out after the Champions League elimination to Ajax.
3. Zinedine Zidane
Hiring Zinedine Zidane again would almost be like an internal pick, considering his legendary stints as both a player and a manager at Real Madrid, and he would be readily available since he has been out of a job since leaving the club in 2021. Returning to Zidane, though, definitely does not feel like a long-term solution for Los Blancos, in part because it seems like the retired France international has been waiting to coach his national team all this time.
2. Andoni Iraola
Andoni Iraola has really made a name for himself in his two seasons at Bournemouth, making him one of the game’s rising managerial talents. Bigger clubs are already taking notice, too, with his name attached to the Tottenham Hotspur job should they opt to part ways with Ange Postecoglou ahead of next season. It makes sense that Iraola might be named on several clubs’ lists over the next few months or so and that a high-profile move away from Bournemouth might come sooner rather than later, but much as it is the case for Raul, it might be a little too early in Iraola’s career for a job as big as this one.
1. Xabi Alonso
From the moment Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen were on course to win their first-ever Bundesliga title last season, the retired Spain international felt like the heir apparent to a handful of jobs – the ones at Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, all his former clubs. The first two went a different way last season, meaning it has all lined up perfectly for Los Blancos to land Alonso, who is undoubtedly the most impressive young manager in a field of them. His time at Leverkusen has been exemplary, first by taking them out of a relegation battle and leading them to the title within a two-year span, and in a league where Bayern are nearly impossible to beat. He has done so by implementing an attractive style of play at Leverkusen and lifting young talents like Florian Wirtz, ensuring Leverkusen continues to be one of Europe’s most exciting teams to watch.
A jump up to Real Madrid will be a very different task, both because of the expectations and the pressures that come along with them. A manager of his caliber has to make that jump at some point, though, and he’s earned the chance to test himself at this level. The job is his if he wants it – and it is hard to imagine that he does not.
