Mourinho returns to Real Madrid thirteen years later, signed until 2029

José Mourinho is once again Real Madrid’s head coach. The Spanish club officially announced Thursday the appointment of the Portuguese manager, who succeeds Alvaro Arbeloa on the bench, thirteen years after leaving the Spanish capital.

The return of the “Special One” had been announced since Florentino Perez’s re-election last Sunday. The 79-year-old president had promised during his campaign to bring Mourinho back, and he kept his word in the first days of his new mandate. To free the coach from his current contract, Real Madrid paid fifteen million euros to Benfica.

Mourinho has committed for three seasons, until June 30, 2029 — the same length as his first arrival in 2010. The choice has raised concerns in the industry: several observers felt that betting on a 62-year-old manager, whose style is associated with a bygone era, was a risky gamble. Florentino Perez, meanwhile, hopes to replicate Carlo Ancelotti’s triumphant return scenario.

The task promises to be difficult, however. Real Madrid comes out of two seasons virtually empty in terms of trophies, the Intercontinental Cup won eighteen months ago being the exception. The team shows defensive shortcomings, insufficient midfield, and attacking combinations to rebuild.

Mourinho also inherits a fractured dressing room. This season, two factions clashed around Xabi Alonso, dismissed just a few months after taking office. Renowned for his ability to impose his authority in groups under tension, the Portuguese manager will need to quickly reunite a divided squad if he wants to get the club back on track.