The club's official statement read: "The Board of Directors of Real Madrid C.F., meeting today, Thursday, June 11, and chaired by Florentino Pérez, has agreed to appoint José Mourinho as coach of the first team for the next three seasons, until June 30, 2029. José Mourinho will join Real Madrid on July 13, the day the pre-season begins."
The appointment arrives 13 years after Mourinho's first spell at the club ended in 2013, and matches the three-year length of that original tenure. Real Madrid activated the €15 million release clause in his Benfica contract to secure the move — a figure that rose sharply after the club missed a cheaper window earlier in the year that had been available for as little as €3 million.
Florentino Pérez framed the appointment in terms of unfinished business from Mourinho's first spell, during which he won LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup, and restored the club to consecutive Champions League semi-finals after years of falling at the last-16 stage.
"He left a competitive team and the foundation for the European Cups that followed," Pérez said.
The Champions League itself eluded Mourinho during that period — a gap in his Madrid record he now returns hoping to close.
Since leaving Madrid, Mourinho's career has taken him through Chelsea (a Premier League title), Manchester United (Europa League and League Cup), Tottenham, Roma (the club's first-ever Conference League title) and a turbulent spell at Fenerbahçe before returning to Portugal with Benfica.
His overall managerial record includes two Champions League titles, won with Porto and Inter Milan, and domestic league titles in Portugal, England, Italy and Spain — a body of work that places him among the most decorated coaches of the century.
Real Madrid's hierarchy are explicit about what they expect from his return: leadership and competitive intensity for a squad that has gone two seasons without a major trophy and has been visibly fractured, with the public training-ground clash between Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni emblematic of deeper dressing-room issues.
Mourinho arrives with a coaching team assembled primarily during his time at Benfica, several of whom have worked with him across multiple clubs. According to OKDIARIO, five names form the core of his incoming staff:
Pedro Machado, assistant coach, has worked with Mourinho since his time at Fenerbahçe and continued through Benfica. He has experience as both a number two and as an analyst and fitness coach, and is regarded as one of the rising young talents among Portugal's new generation of coaching staff.
João Tralhão, also an assistant coach, was recruited by Mourinho during the Fenerbahçe spell and brings prior experience at Borussia Dortmund and Monaco.
António Dias, the new fitness coach, has more than 20 years of experience dating back to Porto in 2003. Though his relationship with Mourinho began only last season at Benfica, he has a long history working alongside Nuno Espírito Santo across multiple clubs.
Roberto Merella takes charge of analysis, data and tactical strategy. One of the most senior figures in Mourinho's circle, he has worked with him since the Roma spell and was also previously associated with Antonio Conte at Inter Milan. He is the only non-Portuguese member of the staff.
Nuno Santos, goalkeeping coach, has the longest-standing relationship with Mourinho of anyone on the list, dating back to Tottenham. He also worked with Mourinho at Roma and, while he did not follow him to Fenerbahçe, was reunited with him at Benfica last season.
Real Madrid's report suggests this core group may be supplemented by additional figures from within the club's existing structure to ease the transition.
Mourinho takes charge immediately in an advisory capacity, with the club confirming that two signings — Ibrahima Konaté and Denzel Dumfries — were made at his request. Further reinforcements across multiple positions are expected before pre-season begins. The plan, as one source put it, is already in motion. The presentation is a formality. The work has started.