José Mourinho Begins Early at Real Madrid: A New Era

José Mourinho clocks in early at Real Madrid. Official start date? Next Monday. Reality? The Portuguese is already at Valdebebas.

The new Madrid coach posted the first snapshot of his return on social media: training gear on, Real Madrid City in the background and a brief message that fits his persona as well as any tactical board.

“Let’s go!!”

No long speeches. No manifesto. Just a declaration of intent and the first brushstroke of his second spell in white, one that arrives loaded with expectation and the weight of history.

A quiet city about to wake up

For now, Valdebebas is still in summer mode. The full squad will not assemble until after the World Cup contingent trickles back, but the machinery is already turning.

Next Monday, July 13, the first wave of players is due in: those who did not feature at the World Cup. It will be a mixed group, blending youth, new faces and established names easing into the Mourinho era with medicals and initial fitness checks.

Dean Huijsen, Franco Mastantuono and Trent Alexander-Arnold are among those expected to report. For them, the first handshake with Mourinho will not come in a packed dressing room before a big game, but in the more clinical setting of tests and measurements. It is there, in those quieter corridors, that a new hierarchy starts to form.

The holidays are not quite over. The work has already begun.

Khedira returns – this time with a clipboard

Off the pitch, Mourinho has wasted no time assembling a staff that carries both familiarity and fresh ideas.

The headline name is Sami Khedira. A key figure in Mourinho’s first stint at Real Madrid as a player, the former midfielder now returns as one of his assistant coaches. The dynamic changes, the relationship doesn’t: Khedira moves from the heart of the pitch to the edge of the technical area, tasked with transmitting the demands he once felt directly from the touchline.

Alongside him, Joao Tralhao and Pedro Machado will also serve as assistant coaches, forming a tight inner circle around the Portuguese manager. Their brief is clear: translate Mourinho’s ideas into the daily rhythm of training and preparation.

The structure continues with Antonio Días installed as fitness coach, responsible for shaping a squad that will be asked to play at full throttle across a long season, and Nuno Santos taking charge of the goalkeepers, a specialist role in a team that expects its No. 1 to decide titles.

Names, roles, responsibilities. The framework is in place.

The holidays might say “not yet,” but Mourinho’s message from Valdebebas is unmistakable: the second era has already started ticking.