Mourinho Signs 3 Years Deal To Return As Real Headline Coach

Jose Mourinho has signed a three-year deal to become Real Madrid’s new head coach.

He will not be officially unveiled until after the club’s presidential election, which is due to take place on 7 June.

However, the 63-year-old’s contract will only be valid if current president Florentino Perez remains in his role.

Perez announced the election during an extraordinary news conference earlier this month in which he criticised journalists and La Liga and spoke of an “organised campaign” against him.

The 79-year-old has been in office since 2009 – and was previously president between 2000 and 2006 – but has overseen two successive trophyless seasons.

Renewables tycoon Enrique Riquelme is standing against Perez in the first presidential election in 20 years featuring a challenger, although Perez is expected to still win.

Mourinho is leaving his role as manager of Benfica, where he took charge in September and led them to third place in the Primeira Liga this season.

In his previous spell in charge of Real between 2010 and 2013, the Portuguese won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.

Mourinho will replace Alvaro Arbeloa, who only took charge in January following Xabi Alonso’s departure as boss.

Real ended their 2025-26 campaign trophyless, with rivals Barcelona sealing the La Liga title with a 2-0 El Clasico victory.

Los Blancos’ Champions League run also ended with a 6-4 aggregate defeat by German champions Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.

After leaving Real in 2013, Mourinho returned to England for a second stint at Chelsea, winning the third of his three Premier League titles, plus the EFL Cup, in the 2014-15 season.

Following his departure from the Blues by mutual consent in 2015, Mourinho joined Manchester United on a three-year deal in 2016.

He won the Europa League, EFL Cup and Community Shield during his first season at Old Trafford, but was sacked in December 2018 after a poor run of results.

Mourinho also had spells at Tottenham, Serie A side Roma, where he won the Europa Conference League in 2022, and Turkish club Fenerbahce, before taking over at Benfica.