Former Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa has been appointed Fulham manager after his departure from Real Madrid at the end of last season.
Arbeloa, 43, succeeds Marco Silva in the Craven Cottage dugout after the Portuguese coach left at the end of his contract, opting to join Benfica rather than pen a new deal.
It acts as a return to the Premier League for the former Spain international, who two years at Liverpool during his playing days before finishing his career at West Ham.
Fulham FC statement
The Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Álvaro Arbeloa as the new Head Coach of Fulham.
The 43-year-old has agreed a three-year deal, tying him to Craven Cottage until the summer of 2029.
Following a trophy-laden playing career, Arbeloa’s coaching journey has been forged at arguably the biggest side in the world, starting with Real Madrid’s youth sides before taking charge of the senior team last season.
Álvaro Arbeloa: “It is a real honour for me to be embarking on this new stage at Fulham FC, the oldest club in London. I feel a great sense of responsibility and I'm deeply grateful to Mr. Khan and Tony Khan for the trust they have placed in me with Fulham in the Premier League.
“I am really looking forward to experiencing the atmosphere at Craven Cottage with Fulham fans and beginning pre-season with the players next week. I am sure we are going to enjoy an incredible journey together.
“Come on Fulham!”
Shahid Khan: “Álvaro was an original candidate who built an exceptional case through our meetings in June to become our next Head Coach, and it quickly became quite clear that he was – and is – the right choice. I am delighted that Alvaro has accepted the challenge to push Fulham forward, and I have no doubt that our squad, staff and fans will resonate with what his appointment means for the present and future of our Club.
“Álvaro is, by his own admission, very ambitious. He has spent quality time around the best players, clubs and methods in the game, experiences which will serve him well here at Fulham. Álvaro also has great interest in our Academy set-up and believes in giving young players a chance. I loved hearing that from Álvaro, as well as his intent on playing attacking football. All of this and a lot more makes Álvaro Arbeloa an ideal fit to lead Fulham Football Club into the upcoming Premier League season and beyond.”
Tony Khan: “I’m thrilled to welcome Álvaro Arbeloa as Fulham's Head Coach! Álvaro is highly intelligent with a profound knowledge of the sport, a very strong work ethic, and he is determined to succeed at Fulham. I’m excited and looking forward to a bright future for the Club under Álvaro’s tremendous leadership! Come on Fulham!
Arbeloa’s first taste of coaching came back at the Club where he spent so much of his playing career, when Florentino Perez brought him in to lead Real Madrid’s Under-14 side.
After winning the league title in his first season, Arbeloa was promoted to coach the Under-16s, though he quickly moved up to look after the 19s, where he won the treble – La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions Cup – in his maiden campaign.
Having won the league again in 2024/25, Arbeloa was named as the coach of Castilla, Real Madrid’s famed B side, replacing club legend Raúl who had held the position for the previous six years.
Building a team that valued an aggressive press, defensive nous, and attractive football, Arbeloa spoke of how he looks to incorporate qualities of all the coaches he worked under. There are some big names in that list, too – the likes of Rafael Benitez, Zinedine Zidane, Manuel Pellegrini, Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti.
Arbeloa was only at Castilla for half a season before he was called upon to take charge of the Real Madrid first team, following the departure of Xabi Alonso – a man he will meet again on the touchline in Fulham’s season opener against Chelsea at Craven Cottage.
During his time at the helm, he led them to a second-place finish in La Liga, though the highlight of his spell in charge at the Bernabéu will surely be the 5-1 aggregate victory over Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the Champions League.
After time spent in the youth system at Real Zaragoza, Arbeloa joined Real Madrid at the age of 18, making his senior debut three years later in a 1-1 draw away to Real Betis in La Liga. He came off the bench to line up alongside Iker Casillas, Roberto Carlos, Zinedine Zidane, Raúl, Ronaldo, Luis Figo and Michael Owen.
His first start for Los Blancos came later in the season, when he shared a right-flank with David Beckham in a 3-0 victory over local rivals Atletico Madrid.
A permanent transfer to Deportivo de La Coruña followed, but he was only there for half a season before his performances attracted the attentions of Liverpool – a campaign that ended with him picking up a Champions League runners-up medal after replacing former Fulham defender Steve Finnan in their 2-1 loss to AC Milan in Athens.
After 98 appearances for the club, Arbeloa re-signed for Real Madrid, and the full-back went on to win no fewer than eight trophies during his time back in the Spanish capital.
Two Champions League and two Copa del Rey triumphs apiece, in addition to winning La Liga, the Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Spanish Super Cup, mark one of the most successful periods in Real’s history, with Arbeloa more than playing his part with 238 appearances.
On the international front, Arbeloa enjoyed success that most players could only dream of, with his 56 caps for Spain including two European Championship wins, one either side of his nation winning the World Cup for the first time in 2010.
A brief spell back in the Premier League followed with West Ham United, taking him to 100+ matches in the competition, before he announced his retirement from playing at the age of 34.