Real Madrid has appointed Sergio Scariolo as its new head basketball coach on a three-year deal, the club announced Wednesday. The move comes shortly after parting ways with Chus Mateo, who led the team to six titles over the last three seasons.
Scariolo will officially take over after coaching Spain’s national team at the EuroBasket 2025, which spans Cyprus, Finland, Poland, and Latvia. His contract runs through June 30, 2028.
Under Mateo, Real Madrid captured one EuroLeague championship, two Liga ACB titles, one Copa del Rey, and two Spanish Supercups. He was also named the 2023-24 EuroLeague Coach of the Year.
Despite that success, the club opted for change after a 20-14 EuroLeague regular season that placed the team seventh, forcing them into the play-in round.
Scariolo, widely regarded as one of the most accomplished coaches in international basketball, returns to Real Madrid nearly 25 years after winning the ACB League title with the club in the 1999-2000 season.
He is the most decorated head coach in the history of the Spanish national team, having led them to eight major medals — five gold, one silver, and two bronze — across FIBA World Cup, EuroBasket, and Olympic competitions.
Scariolo was also an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors during their 2018-19 NBA title run. At the club level in Europe, his résumé includes two ACB championships, one Italian League title, two Copa del Rey trophies, a EuroCup, and multiple Supercups.
His most recent club position was with Virtus Bologna, where he added another EuroCup and two Italian Supercup titles to his record.
