José Mourinho will return as coach of Real Madrid next season. The Madrid club is bringing back the 63-year-old Portuguese, who was previously in charge from 2010 to 2013. Real announced this on Thursday. Mourinho comes from Portuguese side Benfica, where he still had a contract until 2027.
Mourinho has signed for three seasons, until mid-2029. He will start his job in Madrid on July 13. Then Real starts the preseason.
Mourinho’s name has been around in Madrid for some time. But his appointment was initially dependent on the club’s chairmanship elections. After Florentino Pérez was re-elected on Sunday, the way was clear for the Portuguese coach’s return.
Mourinho will succeed Álvaro Arbeloa, who took over from Xabi Alonso in January. Real had to leave the La Liga title to rival FC Barcelona in May after a defeat in the Clásico.
Last season, Mourinho took on Real Madrid with Benfica in the knockout phase of the Champions League. Real won both matches (0-1 in Lisbon, 2-1 in Madrid) and reached the last sixteen. The quarter-final was ultimately the final destination (4-6 over two matches against Bayern Munich.
Richly filled prize cabinet
Under Mourinho, Real Madrid won the Copa del Rey in 2011, became national champions in 2012 and won the Spanish Super Cup. After three seasons, the coach returned to Chelsea, where he previously worked from 2004 to 2007.
The Portuguese coach had won the Champions League with FC Porto in 2004 and with Internazionale in 2010. He won the Europa League with Manchester United in 2017 by beating Ajax in the final. He won the Conference League with AS Roma in 2022.