Mourinho makes Valverde Real Madrid captain and demotes Courtois in hierarchy

José Mourinho has decided: Federico Valverde will be Real Madrid’s captain next season. According to newspaper AS, the Uruguayan, already a regular wearer of the armband in recent years, now officially surpasses Vinicius Junior — promoted to first vice-captain —, Thibaut Courtois and Rodrygo in the new hierarchy established by the Portuguese manager.

This choice partly responds to a regulatory logic. The new rules of the game reserve the right to address the referee to the captain alone on the pitch, which encourages clubs to entrust the armband to an outfield player rather than a goalkeeper. Courtois, who ranked higher in the previous hierarchy, thus finds himself relegated to third place.

The decision is part of a broader reconstruction project. Mourinho, appointed Real Madrid manager after a disappointing 2025-2026 season, must rebuild a deeply overhauled squad. The departures of Dani Carvajal, David Alaba and Dani Ceballos have deprived the group of several key players, while the announced arrivals of Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konaté, Denzel Dumfries and Bernardo Silva will reshuffle the cards in the starting eleven.

By redefining the armband at the start of his preparation, the “Special One” sends a clear signal about the dressing room culture he intends to establish. Valverde, a tireless midfielder and one of the few players to maintain his level during the past season, embodies the continuity and exemplarity that Mourinho seems keen to place at the heart of his project. The Michael Olise matter, whose outcome remains awaited, constitutes the other major decision pending before the start of the new season.