Before Real Madrid: Arbeloa's forgotten first coaching gig with YouTuber team Mambo FC
Before taking charge of Real Madrid's youth teams, Álvaro Arbeloa cut his coaching teeth with a team of content creators in an unexpected first managerial role.
The new Real Madrid boss honed his coaching skills in an unexpected place before climbing the ladder at his beloved club.
From YouTubers to Real Madrid
While most Madrid fans know Álvaro Arbeloa started his coaching journey with Real Madrid’s Infantil A team in 2020, it turns out the former defender actually had a previous, rather unusual coaching gig. Before officially beginning his career in the Madrid youth setup, Arbeloa was in charge of Mambo FC – a 7-a-side team composed entirely of YouTubers and content creators.
This little-known chapter in Arbeloa’s coaching development came in 2018, shortly after hanging up his boots at West Ham United. The project saw him guiding internet personalities like DjMariio, Viruzz, Papi Gavi, and Spursito through a series of matches that were documented in a 12-episode online series.
Not exactly Barcelona ‘09
Managing a bunch of influencers with varying football ability proved to be proper challenging for the former Spain international. The results were, how shall I put it, a bit pants:
- Defeat against CD Canillas youth team
- Victory against AR10 Academy women’s selection
- Loss against Real Madrid veterans (with Arbeloa actually playing in this one)
Though the win column was looking proper thin, the viewing figures were absolutely Bobby Moore – with several videos racking up over a million views and none dipping below 600,000.
The path to the Bernabéu
Arbeloa stuck with Mambo FC for about a year and a half before stepping aside midway through their second season in 2019, with Álvaro Benito taking over the reins. This move coincided with Arbeloa preparing for his official coaching career at Real Madrid, which began the following year.
From there, his trajectory has been impressive:
- 2020-21: League champion with Infantil A
- 2021-22: Managed Cadete A
- 2022-25: In charge of Juvenil A, winning a treble in 2022-23 and another league title in 2024-25
- 2025-26: Started with Castilla, had them in promotion playoff positions
Now, after Xabi Alonso’s mutual agreement to leave the first team, Arbeloa finds himself in the hot seat at the Santiago Bernabéu – a remarkable journey that began with trying to teach YouTubers the basics of the beautiful game.
From Mambo FC to the mighty Madrid – talk about working your way up from the bottom! Not a bad career trajectory for the lad, is it?