Real Madrid confirmed the return of Jose Mourinho as first team coach after a 13-year absence. The former Chelsea and Manchester United manager signed a contract running until June 30, 2029. He leaves Benfica, where he led the team to an unbeaten league campaign last season, and will officially start pre-season on July 13.

President Florentino Perez cleared the path for this appointment after winning a recent club election against Enrique Riquelme. The move follows the departure of Alvaro Arbeloa. This return comes at a low point for the club, which finished a distant second to Barcelona in LaLiga and failed to win a major trophy in two seasons.

Mourinho now faces the task of fixing the relationship with Vinicius Jr and maximizing the output of Kylian Mbappe. He must also manage Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold to stop the trophy drought. His first stint in Madrid saw him win LaLiga with a record points total, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa.

Success depends on overcoming Bayern Munich in the Champions League and reclaiming the domestic crown from Barcelona. Perez explicitly stated the goal is to achieve the 16th European Cup. This appointment marks a dramatic shift in strategy to end a two-year period without silverware.