Real Madrid Bring Back Mourinho on Three-Year Deal
Jose Mourinho is set to return to Real Madrid after agreeing to a three-year contract as the club’s new head coach.
The 63-year-old Portuguese manager will not be formally introduced until after Real Madrid’s presidential election on 7 June. Mourinho departs Benfica after taking charge in September and guiding the club to a third-place finish in the Primeira Liga.
This marks Mourinho’s second spell at the Spanish giants, having previously managed Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013. During that period, he secured a La Liga title, a Copa del Rey trophy and the Spanish Super Cup.
He succeeds Alvaro Arbeloa, who stepped into the role in January following Xabi Alonso’s exit. Real Madrid endured a disappointing 2025-26 season, finishing without silverware as Barcelona clinched the league title with a 2-0 El Clasico win. Their Champions League campaign also ended in the quarter-finals after a 6-4 aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich.
Following his departure from Real in 2013, Mourinho returned to Chelsea for a second spell and added another Premier League title and an EFL Cup to his collection during the 2014-15 campaign.
He later joined Manchester United in 2016, winning the Europa League, EFL Cup and Community Shield in his debut season. However, a decline in results led to his dismissal in December 2018.
Mourinho’s managerial journey also included periods at Tottenham, Roma—where he lifted the Europa Conference League in 2022—and Fenerbahce in Turkey before his recent tenure at Benfica. Now, he prepares for another chapter at Real Madrid as the club seeks to rebuild after a challenging season.
