{"id":77818,"date":"2026-08-30T09:31:31","date_gmt":"2026-08-30T09:31:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/77818\/"},"modified":"2026-08-30T09:31:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-30T09:31:31","slug":"real-madrids-best-summer-signing-has-been-the-coach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/77818\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cReal Madrid\u2019s best summer signing has been the coach\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cReal Madrid\u2019s best summer signing has been the coach.\u201d That has become the phrase repeated day after day around Valdebebas. It is said with complete conviction, endorsing a decision that was made despite the many critical voices heard when, in the final days of April, it was confirmed that Jos\u00e9 Mourinho had been chosen to take charge of Madrid<\/a>. In less than two months, the Portuguese has won everyone over.<\/p>\n

What happens on the field will ultimately deliver the verdict. But belief that the club made the right choice continues to grow internally, above all in the locker room and in the daily rhythm of a team that now appears fully committed to fighting from the first minute to the last, both in matches and on the training ground.<\/p>\n

How Mourinho has changed things at Madrid<\/p>\n

The day-to-day reality at Valdebebas bears little resemblance to the atmosphere that surrounded the club a year ago. Xabi Alonso never truly connected. He failed to become part of the dynamic that must always exist between a club and its head coach, and that gradually led to a deterioration of the overall environment. Players are the first to sense the state of that relationship, and when they see it beginning to fray, they disconnect and stop functioning as a collective. That happened even during the Club World Cup in summer 2025, creating a constant sense of uncertainty within Real Madrid, among those in charge and also among those who exert influence in their own way: the players. \u00c1lvaro Arbeloa tried to change things, but the locker room encountered many of the same circumstances, and history repeated itself.<\/p>\n

Mourinho arrived and, as this newspaper has previously reported, immediately changed habits, rules and routines. His goal was to restore the squad\u2019s respect for the badge, as well as a sense of internal accountability, in an effort to reawaken a team that had become lethargic and disconnected, and that over the previous two seasons had largely operated on its own terms. He has also sat down with every player to explain exactly what he expects from them, while those he initially viewed as surplus to requirements were given a chance to change his mind.<\/p>\n

The result is a growing sense of certainty that the decision to make a change in the dugout, and in many ways return to the past, was the club\u2019s best move since Carlo Ancelotti\u2019s own return, which came about almost by accident. Both the Italian and the Portuguese arrived after effectively offering themselves to the club, although in Mourinho\u2019s case it was through Jorge Mendes, the influential agent who played a key role in bringing the coach back to the Bernab\u00e9u.<\/p>\n

\"\u201cRealThe Real Madrid coach Jos\u00e9 Mourinho congratulates Vinicius Jr.
\nKiko Huesca<\/p>\n

Unlike several other head coaches who have passed through the Madrid dugout, Florentino P\u00e9rez<\/a> and Mourinho maintained contact, albeit sporadically, throughout their 13 years apart. Messages were always exchanged at the right moments. The relationship resembled that of an old friend: even if you rarely hear from him, you never doubt he is there when needed. All of that helped pave the way for a return that, like Ancelotti\u2019s before it, also contained an element of good fortune. In Mourinho\u2019s case, Zinedine Zidane had already committed to the French national team<\/a>. In Ancelotti\u2019s, none of the club\u2019s alternative candidates managed to convince the decision-makers.<\/p>\n

Mourinho is delighted. He has found complete support from the club, but within a framework of mutual understanding. On his return, the coach has not simply sought to impose his authority; he has set about persuading, communicating and building consensus. His first request, aside from abolishing fines as a form of punishment and ensuring all injured players complete their rehabilitation at Valdebebas, was for Bernardo Silva to be deployed as a deep-lying central midfielder. Judging by what has followed, it may not have been a bad idea after all.<\/p>\n

Related stories\"\"\"\"<\/p>\n

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage<\/a>, right at your fingertips \u2013 anytime, anywhere.<\/p>\n

And there\u2019s more: check out our TikTok<\/a> and Instagram reels<\/a> for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.<\/p>\n