José Mourinho has returned to Real Madrid as head coach, marking his second tenure at the club 13 years after his initial stint ended. Now 63, Mourinho is in the early stages of preparing the squad for the upcoming season, with pre-season training underway. He aims to reinforce the team further, expressing a desire for additional signings beyond the experienced defenders already acquired. Mourinho is also awaiting the arrival of Real Madrid players who participated deeply in the recent World Cup to fully integrate into his preparations.
Mourinho’s return coincides with significant managerial changes across top European football, particularly following the World Cup. Many of the high-profile coaches with whom Mourinho previously engaged in intense rivalries have transitioned away from club roles to national team positions, altering the competitive landscape Mourinho once navigated.
Notably absent from club football are Pep Guardiola, taking a sabbatical after leaving Manchester City and declining the opportunity to coach Italy’s national team, and Antonio Conte, who departed Napoli last month and is currently a candidate for the Italian national team job alongside Andrea Pirlo. Jürgen Klopp was recently appointed as Germany’s head coach, while Zinédine Zidane is expected to assume the role of France’s national team manager shortly. Meanwhile, Carlo Ancelotti is leading Brazil’s national squad.
Several former Real Madrid coaches who served in interim or brief permanent roles during a turbulent 2025-26 season—Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa—now coach in the English Premier League with Chelsea and Fulham, respectively. However, neither club is currently competing in European tournaments, limiting their direct competition with Mourinho’s Real Madrid.
This shift of prominent coaches to international management marks a generational change in football leadership. Klopp emphasized the unique appeal and responsibility of national team roles, highlighting the power of football to unite people on a broader scale. He also noted that the introduction of structured international competitions like the UEFA Nations League has enhanced the significance of international play, contrasting with earlier frustrations over friendlies.
Within club football, Mourihno emerges as a senior figure amid a cohort of relatively inexperienced managers leading many Champions League contenders. For example, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Manchester City are guided by coaches appointed within the past year, each with limited experience in Europe’s premier competition. Elsewhere, in Serie A, clubs such as Napoli, Roma, and Inter Milan have recently appointed new coaches, while AC Milan is led by Cesc Fàbregas, entering his third season.
The coaching landscape reflects ongoing instability at several top clubs, with multiple managerial changes at AC Milan and Chelsea in recent seasons. Despite this churn, experienced figures such as Didier Deschamps and Lionel Scaloni remain available, with Scaloni’s contract with Argentina nearing expiration and Deschamps out of a current managerial role.
Mourinho’s return to Real Madrid places him once again at the center of elite European football, but the altered dynamics mean he no longer faces many of his former adversaries on the touchline. Instead, he leads a club eager for success amid a shifting environment where national team management has attracted some of the game’s most illustrious coaches.