Real Madrid rehiring of Jose Mourinho, explained: Why proud club is bringing back former manager

The prevailing theory has been the game has passed the 63-year-old by. Yet after time at Manchester United , Tottenham, Roma, Fenerbahce, and Benfica, it appears he is set to return to Real Madrid for a dramatic second spell at the Bernabeu. Multiple reports, including the BBC , claim that Real Madrid are closing in on the stunning appointment of Jose Mourinho as their head coach beginning at the start of the 2026-27 season.

The Sporting News explains why they have turned to a former Real Madrid manager in Mourinho, what happened last time he was at the club, and what he won while in charge of Los Blancos. Why are Real Madrid rehiring Jose Mourinho? Real Madrid are in crisis mode.

They have now gone two seasons without a single major trophy, leading to multiple managers being sacked and a dressing room that is rife with toxicity. As the 2025/26 season comes to a close, a new manager must be found to lead the club forward after the 2026 World Cup. Xabi Alonso faltered without backing from club management, and Alvaro Arbeloa has not managed to restore either the on-field results or the dressing room harmony.

Despite a host of other top-tier managers likely to be available this summer, especially after the World Cup, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is moving now to shore up the open managerial position. While the tactical side of the game has evolved leaps and bounds since Mourinho was in charge of a squad with Champions League title-winning talent, his man-management skills are likely what Perez is after most. The "Special One" is known for his big, often fiery personality that looms large in a dressing room.