Carlo Ancelotti’s future as Real Madrid head coach has been thrown into doubt following the team’s exit from the UEFA Champions League and their Copa del Rey defeat against FC Barcelona. With Los Blancos set to participate in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Ancelotti has reportedly made a final decision regarding his role in the competition.
The Club World Cup, scheduled to kick off on June 14, has complicated Real Madrid’s planning for the upcoming season. At a time when the club is struggling to find consistency, a major change could be looming before the tournament.
According to The Athletic, Carlo Ancelotti will leave his position as head coach in June, meaning he will not manage Real Madrid during the Club World Cup. Despite having a contract valid for another year, Ancelotti has reportedly informed members of the dressing room of his decision to depart.
The Italian manager signed a contract extension in 2023 that tied him to the club until June 2026. However, following recent results — combined with the Brazilian Football Federation’s strong interest — the process of his departure has accelerated significantly in recent weeks.
Reports suggest that Ancelotti has already accepted an offer to coach Brazil, although the length of the contract has yet to be finalized. While the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) is pushing for a deal through June 2030, after the next World Cup, the final details will be ironed out during an upcoming meeting between Ancelotti’s representatives and Brazilian businessman Diego Fernandes, who is working with the CBF.
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Ancelotti’s potential replacement
With Ancelotti’s future hanging in the balance for several months, multiple names have emerged as possible replacements. One surprising name was Davide Ancelotti — Carlo’s son — who has the desire to start his own coaching career. However, there now appears to be only one serious candidate in Real Madrid’s sights.
The club’s top target is Xabi Alonso, currently in charge of Bayer Leverkusen, to take over as head coach either before or after the Club World Cup. Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro recently confirmed that Alonso’s situation includes a “gentleman’s agreement” regarding his potential departure:
“We have a gentleman’s agreement that if any of the teams he has played for (Real Sociedad, Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich) come, we would sit down to talk and we would not put any obstacles in his way,” Carro stated. This agreement means that Real Madrid would face no major hurdles in their pursuit of Alonso.
