Portuguese coach José Mourinho has officially begun his duties as the new head coach of Real Madrid after conducting his first training session with the club on July 13, 2026.
Mourinho has returned to the Santiago Bernabéu 13 years after his previous departure, replacing Álvaro Arbeloa, who was in charge of the team before the appointment. Real Madrid announced Mourinho as their new head coach on June 11, 2026, following a decision by the club's Board of Directors led by president Florentino Pérez.
The experienced manager has signed a three-year contract that will run until June 30, 2029. The club completed his appointment after activating a release clause with his previous club, Portuguese side Benfica.
During his first training session, Mourinho was closely involved in overseeing the squad's preparations, with players beginning the day with medical tests before moving into physical and tactical sessions.
Several first-team stars took part in the training as they received instructions from the highly experienced coach, who is now focused on preparing Real Madrid for the upcoming season.
Mourinho’s return comes at a time when Real Madrid are seeking major changes after failing to win major trophies in the last two seasons. The club’s leadership believes that his experience and football philosophy can help restore the team’s competitiveness at the highest level, while supporters are eager to see a new version of Los Blancos under “The Special One.”
