LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP)—Former Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa has been appointed manager of English Premier League side Fulham, the club announced on Wednesday.

The 43-year-old former defender — a member of Spain’s 2010 World Cup-winning squad — signed a three-year contract.

“The Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Alvaro Arbeloa as the new Head Coach of Fulham,” Fulham said in a statement.

Arbeloa enjoyed a highly-successful career as a player at Real, winning the Champions League twice, but fared less well in the Bernabeu dug-out when he replaced Xabi Alonso as coach in January this year.

Arbeloa, who knows the Premier League having played for Liverpool, replaces Marco Silva, who stepped down after last season, having guided them to 11th in the table, and is now in charge of Portuguese giants Benfica.

Silva filled the vacuum left by Jose Mourinho, who took over at Real Madrid and who Arbeloa previously said he would not work under.

“It is a real honour for me to be embarking on this new stage at Fulham FC, the oldest club in London,” Arbeloa said in a statement.

“I feel a great sense of responsibility.”

Arbeloa’s short spell as boss at Real was marked by an early exit in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey against second-tier Albacete and several painful defeats in La Liga that ended their title hopes.

They were also knocked out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals by Bayern Munich as Real Madrid endured a second successive season without silverware.