José Mourinho is set for a sensational return to Real Madrid, 13 years after his initial departure from the Spanish footballing powerhouse.
The club announced on Thursday that the Portuguese coach has signed a three-year contract, with his second tenure officially commencing on 13 July, coinciding with the start of preseason training.
Mourinho’s first spell at the Bernabéu, from 2010 to 2013, was characterised by a managerial style that was both undeniably successful and deeply polarising.
While he guided Madrid to a Spanish league title and a Copa del Rey crown, his time is perhaps more vividly recalled for his confrontational personality, which reportedly fractured his own squad and alienated many beyond the most ardent supporters, alongside a significant portion of the local media.
He now faces the formidable task of inheriting an underperforming team and rejoining a club currently in disarray.
Real Madrid have endured a two-year drought without a major title, despite the high-profile presence of superstar striker Kylian Mbappé.
This season alone has seen the club cycle through two coaches, Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa, highlighting the instability Mourinho is tasked with addressing.
Mourinho’s return had been expected after president Florentino Perez was re-elected.
Upon winning, Perez said: “We have won the elections and will continue working to keep winning titles.
“I am still here and I am here to defend Real Madrid. We will continue working so that Real Madrid keeps winning titles, and we will fight until the end to achieve the 16th European Cup. We will continue to take pride in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, the best stadium in the world.
“Proud to have the best players in the world, proud to welcome back one of the best coaches in the world, a Madridista like Jose Mourinho. And rest assured, with me as president, Real Madrid has been, is, and will always remain owned by its members.”
