Amid reports of Jose Mourinho’s return to the club, Arbeloa has announced that he will not be managing the team next season.
Published May 22, 2026
Alvaro Arbeloa has confirmed that he will step down as Real Madrid manager after the season ends without a trophy.
Amid reports that veteran manager Jose Mourinho would return to the club, Arbeloa was asked to confirm at a press conference on Friday that he would not be coaching the team next season, to which he replied: “Yes.”
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On Saturday, Los Blancos host Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu in the final La Liga game of an eventful season.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez appointed Arbeloa to replace Xabi Alonso in January.
Spaniard Arbeloa said he would not work on Mourinho’s staff if the Portuguese was appointed as his successor.
“Mo has a great technical team and good people around him. If he comes to Madrid, he will come with the team,” Arbeloa said.
“There’s no chance of me being with him. Now, as for my future…I’ll think about it starting Monday.”
Arbeloa, who played for Madrid from 2009 to 2016 and then coached at youth level, said he had hoped the match would be “see you again” rather than a farewell.
“I hope to see you again… I have always considered this my home. I have been with Madrid for 20 years and have played different roles,” Arbeloa said.
“This will be my last game as Real Madrid coach this season, but I don’t know if it will be my last game as Real Madrid coach.
“We never know. We’ll have fun and try to come out victorious.”
