Real Madrid have confirmed the return of Portuguese
manager Jose Mourinho as the club's head coach, signing him to a three-year
contract that will run until June 2029.
The appointment comes after a disappointing campaign
in which Los Blancos ended a second straight season without winning a major
trophy, prompting the departure of Alvaro Arbeloa.
In an official statement, the Spanish giants announced
that Mourinho will officially begin his second spell at the Santiago Bernabeu
on July 13 when the team resumes pre-season preparations.
“Real Madrid and Jose Mourinho have reached an
agreement for him to become first-team coach for the next three seasons, until
June 30, 2029,” the club stated.
The 63-year-old returns to Madrid after a successful
but often controversial first stint between 2010 and 2013, during which he won
a La Liga title, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup while battling Pep
Guardiola’s dominant Barcelona side.
Mourinho arrives from Portuguese club Benfica, where
he guided the team through an unbeaten league season. Despite the impressive
run, Benfica finished third in the standings. The Lisbon-based club confirmed
that Real Madrid paid €15 million to secure the coach’s release.
Madrid’s hierarchy believes Mourinho is the right
figure to restore discipline and competitiveness within a squad that
experienced several internal tensions throughout the season. Reports of
dressing-room disputes, including an altercation involving midfielders Fede
Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni, highlighted the challenges facing the club.
The team also struggled to find the right balance
among its attacking stars, with coaches Carlo Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso, and
Arbeloa unable to consistently integrate Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe, and
Jude Bellingham into a cohesive system.
Club president Florentino Perez has previously praised
Mourinho’s influence on Real Madrid’s modern success, arguing that the
foundations laid during his first tenure contributed significantly to the
club’s dominance in Europe over the following decade.
Mourinho’s return marks a significant comeback to the
top level of European football after several years away from the sport’s elite
stage. Widely regarded as one of football’s most decorated managers, he first
gained global recognition by leading Porto to UEFA Champions League glory in
2004.
He later enjoyed major success with Chelsea, winning
consecutive Premier League titles, before securing a historic treble with Inter
Milan in 2010 that included another Champions League crown.
Following his first spell in Madrid, Mourinho returned
to Chelsea for a second stint and won another Premier League title in 2015. He
also lifted the Europa League and EFL Cup with Manchester United in 2017 before
managing Tottenham Hotspur and Roma, where he won the UEFA Europa Conference
League in 2022.
His managerial journey took him to Turkey with
Fenerbahce, but his tenure ended in August 2025 after the club failed to
qualify for the Champions League. He subsequently joined Benfica before now
making a dramatic return to the Spanish capital.
Real Madrid supporters will be hoping Mourinho can
once again deliver silverware and restore the club to the summit of European
football.
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