Real Madrid appoint José Mourinho as head coach
Mourinho returns to the Bernabéu 13 years after his first spell, taking over from Álvaro Arbeloa on a deal that runs through 2028 with an option for a third season.
Real Madrid have appointed José Mourinho as head coach, ending a turbulent managerial run that saw the club sack Xabi Alonso by mutual consent in January and dismiss his short-lived replacement, Álvaro Arbeloa, at the end of the season. Mourinho signed a two-year contract with the option of a third, with Madrid paying Benfica a €15m release clause to free him from his contract in Lisbon.
The 63-year-old officially joined the club on July 13, the day pre-season training opens at Valdebebas, but held his first press duties three days early. “I’m here to help everyone become better: players, staff… creating a culture of work, responsibility, ambition, and something I know well — the honor of working for Real Madrid,” Mourinho said in his first interview since signing.
It is Mourinho’s second spell in charge of Los Blancos, having managed the club between 2010 and 2013, when he broke Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona side to win a La Liga title, a Copa del Rey and a Supercopa de España. One of his first decisions back in the job was to confirm Fede Valverde as captain for the new season, choosing continuity in the dressing room over a clean break.