How Arbeloa has energized Real Madrid - and got the club believing again
Results dictate what happens in soccer, but Real Madrid and its fans appear to have regained their enthusiasm under Álvaro Arbeloa.
Results always shape the narrative in soccer, but the truth is that Real Madrid - and the fanbase - have rediscovered their sense of excitement under Álvaro Arbeloa, driven by players like Fede Valverde, Vinícius Júnior, Thibaut Courtois… and a group of young talents who leave everything on the field while proving they can genuinely play. The tears of Daniel Yáñez’s brother after Saturday’s match against Elche perfectly capture the club’s current moment. There’s enthusiasm for what’s new, but also the pressure that comes with demanding results.
“There’s still time”
Inside the club, they’re analyzing every upcoming challenge carefully, but there’s no doubt that the change of head coach should’ve come earlier. The chemistry with Xabi Alonso evaporated almost as soon as things began, and the early uncertainty around Arbeloa has now turned into trust - both in the present and in what lies ahead. “There’s still time to achieve big things,” people around the club insist.
They say there’s little point in looking back, but in soccer, references to the past feel inevitable. And now, one question hangs over Real Madrid: what would’ve happened if the coaching change had come sooner? Arbeloa has pushed through tense moments and doubts to reveal a coach who’s adapted to what he has, and knows how to get the most out of it. Restoring Vinícius and Valverde to their best form, getting Dean Huijsen back on track… it all helps, but Arbeloa knows this is far from over.
Arbeloa has restored Real belief
The reality is the relationship with Alonso fell apart very early - arguably even before this season began. But that’s the past. In the present, Real Madrid is smiling again and, more importantly, believing again. The idea that time remains on Madrid’s side this term has taken hold both in the club offices and on the training pitches.
Leading that shift is Arbeloa. His path is being built hand‑in‑hand with the club, which recognizes both his good decisions and his ability to adjust when necessary. That’s the only way it works. The coach has shown two major strengths. First, he’s revived Valverde and Vinícius - key figures in Madrid’s recent success. Second, he’s learned how to manage the squad: when to give minutes, when to step back, even how to deliver his messages. It’s obvious something has changed, but the team still needs to prove it. And no one knows that better than Arbeloa himself.
You could also add the resurgence of Castilla as a pipeline for talent. Yes, necessity has played a role, but it has also given a platform to players like Yáñez, César Palacios, Manuel Ángel, Diego Aguado, Thiago Pitarch, Víctor Valdepeñas and Jorge Cestero, who are slowly showing that Madrid might be witnessing the birth of a new generation - or at least a group worth getting excited about. Former head coach Carlo Ancelotti had already glanced toward some of them, but the real opportunity has come now.
In the first team, Courtois’s solidity kept Madrid afloat for a long time, but now players who seemed lost - even frustrated under the previous regime - are reemerging, with Valverde and Vinícius as the clearest examples. The Uruguayan is a different player now. Freed. He’s overcome difficult moments on every level and once again looks like the force of nature who terrifies opponents with his surging runs. He’s playing with confidence - as shown by the five goals he’s scored in his last three matches.
Vinícius has rediscovered his habitat, his way of feeling important. He’s flying again and decisive again. He scores, he assists, but most importantly, he’s become a reference point for everyone else. Against Manchester City, he covered around seven and a half miles - more than anyone else on the pitch. Unthinkable under the previous coaching staff. He dragged the team with him, and when he needed to look up and find a teammate, he did. At last, you can call him a leader - the player who pulls others along - and the results show it. Now comes the final confirmation.
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