Overview
- The Real Madrid board formally appointed José Mourinho on June 11 to a three‑year contract running to June 30, 2029, and the club paid Benfica a reported €15 million to trigger his release.
- Mourinho is scheduled to join the first team for preseason training on July 13, which the club says will be the start of a summer sporting reset.
- He replaces Álvaro Arbeloa after two consecutive seasons without a major trophy and a campaign marked by high‑profile dressing‑room unrest that included a public clash between Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouameni.
- Initial reactions from players have been broadly positive, with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois recalling a constructive working relationship and Éder Militão expressing optimism about the new regime.
- The club has framed Mourinho’s task as restoring discipline and defensive stability, and observers say the summer will focus on squad changes and reinforcements to support that plan.