Xabi Alonso says Real Madrid in USA to win Club World Cup as Modric may stay till 2026

New Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso stated that his team has "little time" to prepare for the FIFA Club World Cup, but they are not in the United States for a holiday.

The newly reimagined, 32-team FIFA competition kicked off on Saturday with a 0-0 draw between Al-Ahly and FC Barcelona legend Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, which was enjoyed by 60,000 punters.

Madrid has already landed in the Floridian city ahead of his men’s opening fixture against Neymar’s former club Al-Hilal midweek, and Alonso noted that “everything has to be accelerated because we have little time to get to know each other and train”.

"We’ll start to team up because we have three training sessions before the first game," added Alonso, while further stating that Los Blancos “come with a lot of desire and with the hope of having a good tournament to go all the way” amid monstrous prize money being on offer.

With Carlo Ancelotti’s mostly victorious cycle having come to an end, as the Italian now oversees the Brazil national team, Alonso noted that the club he played for as a midfielder under Carletto in the mid-2010s is “starting a new stage” where ending domestic dominance from FC Barcelona is the first port of call.

“We have to prioritise what is important: what we want to be, how we want to play and that we feel it. We want to be able to do that from the first moment, from the match against Al Hilal. First, we must recognise ourselves,” he demanded.

Alonso claimed that his sessions with the players have thus far “been very positive”. “Little by little you get to know them, you have that much-needed contact and little by little more players are arriving,” he concluded, in a nod to signings such as Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Though coming home with the trophy isn’t make or break for Alonso, Real Madrid isn’t going to the United States and the Club World Cup to make the numbers up. This has already been communicated by the coach, striker Kylian Mbappe and even president Florentino Perez as he unveiled new signing Alexander-Arnold before the flight to Miami.

Meanwhile, according to a fresh update from Real Madrid Confidencial, a surprising twist could see Luka Modric remain at Real Madrid until 2026, despite the club having already made the decision not to renew his contract beyond this summer.

Modric’s current deal officially expires on June 30, and although he was granted a 15-day extension to participate in the Club World Cup, there was no intention from Los Blancos to offer him a new contract until now.

The report reveals that Real Madrid has quietly prepared a contingency plan in case of a major injury to the Croatian midfielder during the tournament.

If Modric suffers a serious setback, the club is ready to offer him a one-year extension, not as a sporting decision but as a mark of respect to one of the club’s most decorated and loyal servants.

The thinking is simple that if Modric gets injured and is unable to find a new club, Real Madrid does not want to leave him without support.

Instead, they are prepared to extend his contract until 2026 to ensure he has the resources and care to recover properly.

This development adds an unexpected layer to what was supposed to be Modric’s final act with Real Madrid.

At the Club World Cup, he is expected to receive some minutes as a tribute to his legacy. However, that honour now comes with risk.

Should an injury occur, not only would it jeopardise his immediate future, but it would also prompt Real Madrid into action.

Meanwhile, Modric’s priority is clear that he wants to continue playing regularly at the highest level in Europe to prepare for the 2026 World Cup.

Clubs such as Getafe, Sevilla, and Rangers have been linked with him, while AC Milan has emerged as the leading candidate.

However, Milan’s absence from European competition next season complicates that option. As it stands, no final decision will be made until after the Club World Cup concludes.