By Emmanuel Okogba
Xabi Alonso has resumed duty as the new coach of Chelsea Football Club following his appointment in May.
The 44-year-old Spaniard joins the London club with the experience of managing clubs like Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid.
The appointment fills the vacuum created by the sacking of Liam Rosenior.
Chelsea will hope to bank on the experience of Alonso to bounce back from a mediocre campaign last season that saw them miss out of Europe — finishing 10th in the Premier League.
The club shared a video of Alonso arriving at the club on Thursday with the message ‘Xabi Alonso arrives at Cobham’, ‘This is where it starts’, and ‘A new chapter awaits’.
Alonso is no stranger to Stamford Bridge being that he played there during his time as a player with Liverpool.
He notably scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 Premier League victory, which ended Chelsea’s remarkable 86-match unbeaten home league record. He also scored a penalty in the dramatic 4-4 draw during the second leg of the 2008/2009 UEFA Champions League quarter-final.
If all goes according to plan, Alonso is expected to remain as Chelsea’s coach until the summer of 2030.
This is where it starts.
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 9, 2026pic.twitter.com/NW7dXDx51X
