Real Madrid president Florentino Perez officially announced Jose Mourinho will return to manage the club on a three-year contract. Perez made the campaign move to restore authority following a trophyless season defined by a dressing room civil war. He posted the decision on his campaign X account, @Florentino2026_.
The agreement comes with a hard stipulation, according to a report by Sports Illustrated. The deal is entirely contingent on Perez securing his upcoming re-election bid. If voters choose a different candidate, the contract is void.
The club’s presidential vote is scheduled for June 7, according to confirmation by Flashscore detailing the conditional contract. Perez’s 37-year-old presidential challenger, Enrique Riquelme, immediately rejected the appointment. Riquelme confirmed he will not retain the 63-year-old manager if elected and plans to announce his own high-profile signing to sway members.
The Madrid leadership has searched for stability since mid-season. The club fired manager Xabi Alonso in January and handed the squad to interim coach Alvaro Arbeloa, according to a timeline from Tribal Football. Arbeloa failed to halt the team’s slide. Perez then sought a manager capable of handling players like Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior.
Mourinho earned the offer after an unbeaten run with Benfica earlier in the 2025/26 season. His return to the Santiago Bernabéu comes over a decade after his volatile 2010 to 2013 tenure. During that first spell, he led Real Madrid to a 100-point La Liga title in the 2011/12 campaign.