Real Madrid have officially confirmed the return of Jose Mourinho as head coach, bringing the Portuguese manager back to the Santiago Bernabeu 13 years after his first spell with the club.
The 63-year-old has signed a three-year contract and will begin work on July 13 when Real Madrid start preparations for the 2026/27 season.
The appointment marks one of the biggest managerial moves of the summer and sees Mourinho return to a club where he enjoyed significant success between 2010 and 2013.
Mourinho’s return confirmed
Real Madrid announced Mourinho’s appointment after the departure of Alvaro Arbeloa, whose short spell in charge came to an end earlier this week, on Tuesday, June 9.
Mourinho arrives after guiding Benfica through an unbeaten domestic campaign and will now be tasked with restoring Real Madrid to the top of Spanish and European football.
The agreement reportedly includes compensation of €15 million (£12.9 million) to Benfica, who have already named former Fulham manager Marco Silva as Mourinho’s replacement.
Mourinho’s return had been heavily linked to the re-election of Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, who had made bringing the veteran coach back to the club one of his key promises.
A successful first spell
Mourinho first took charge of Real Madrid in 2010 and spent three seasons at the club.
During that period, he won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup while helping Real Madrid challenge Barcelona’s dominance under Pep Guardiola.
His 2011/12 side famously won the league with a record points total of 100, with 121 goals, and Mourinho was widely credited with rebuilding the club’s competitive mentality during a difficult period.
Although his first spell ended in 2013, Mourinho remained a popular figure among many supporters because of his strong personality and winning mentality.
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Huge task ahead
Mourinho returns to a Real Madrid side that has endured a disappointing period by the club’s standards.
The Spanish giants have failed to win either La Liga or the Champions League over the last two seasons and have experienced instability in the dugout.
His immediate challenge will be to bring consistency back to the team and maximise the talent already available in the squad.
With stars such as Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior expected to play central roles in the club’s future, expectations will be high from the moment Mourinho arrives.
Real Madrid supporters will now hope that the return of “The Special One” can spark a new era of success at the Bernabeu.
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