Kylian Mbappé Bids Xabi Alonso Farewell, No Message from Vinícius Junior or Jude Bellingham

Xabi Alonso's tenure as Real Madrid head coach ended abruptly after less than eight months, with the club announcing his departure by "mutual agreement" on Monday following a 3-2 defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia.[5]

Kylian Mbappé led the tributes from Madrid players, posting an Instagram photo with Alonso and writing: "It's been short but it was a pleasure to play for you and learn from you. Thank you for giving me the confidence since Day 1. I will remember you as a manager who had clear ideas and knows many things about football. Best of luck for your next chapter."[5] Brazilian striker Rodrygo also thanked Alonso for "the trust, the learning, and the moments we've experienced," while Thibaut Courtois, Antonio Rüdiger, and Dani Carvajal expressed gratitude on social media.[5]

Notably, neither Vinícius Júnior nor Jude Bellingham posted public messages bidding farewell to Alonso, amid reports highlighting tensions over the coach's handling of the Vinícius situation as a key factor in his exit.[5] Sources told ESPN the parting was effectively a dismissal, driven by poor play, results, and internal issues, despite recent improvements with five wins before the Clásico loss.[5]

Alonso, who replaced Carlo Ancelotti after leaving Bayer Leverkusen, posted his own farewell on social media: "This professional stage is over and it has not gone as we would have liked. Coaching Real Madrid has been an honour... I thank the club, the players and above all the fans for their trust and support. I leave with respect, gratitude and pride."[2][4] Real Madrid's statement praised him as a "legend" and wished him well, with Álvaro Arbeloa promoted from Castilla as interim replacement.[3][4]

The team trails Barcelona by four points in LaLiga and has suffered defeats to Liverpool, Manchester City, Atlético Madrid, and Celta Vigo this season.[3][5] Jürgen Klopp called the sacking a "big surprise," noting the immense pressures at Madrid and Alonso's talent.[6]

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