Jose Mourinho returns to Real Madrid as coach

Real Madrid has announced the return of Jose Mourinho as their head coach, marking the Portuguese manager's second spell at the helm of the Spanish giants. The club made the surprise announcement on June 11, during the opening day festivities of the 2026 World Cup.

Mourinho previously managed Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013, a period during which he secured three major trophies. He led the team to a Copa del Rey victory in 2011, defeating FC Barcelona in the final. The following year, he guided Real Madrid to a LaLiga title with a record 100 points. His final trophy with the club was the Supercopa de España in his last season.

The move back to Madrid was facilitated by a reported 15 million euro payment to SL Benfica, Mourinho's most recent club. Benfica had officially stated on June 9 that the Spanish club had "formalized the intention" to hire the Portuguese manager.

Since departing Real Madrid in 2013, Mourinho has managed several high-profile clubs across Europe. He had successful stints with Chelsea, winning the Premier League and League Cup, followed by periods at Manchester United, where he won the Europa League and League Cup, and Tottenham Hotspur. He later made history by winning the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League with AS Roma, becoming the first coach to win all three major European club competitions. After a brief return to Fenerbahçe in Turkey, he rejoined Benfica in 2025 before this latest move back to the Santiago Bernabéu.