What Does Success Look Like For Real Madrid Under José Mourinho?

BusinessSportsMoneyWhat Does Success Look Like For Real Madrid Under José Mourinho?BySam Leveridge,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Sam Leveridge is a reporter based in Spain with a focus on soccer.Follow AuthorAug 22, 2026, 07:07am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.SummaryJosé Mourinho makes his competitive return to Real Madrid after 13 years, facing immense pressure to deliver silverware following the club's two-season trophy drought. Mourinho himself declared that a season without any trophies would be a failure, a sentiment echoed by pundits who stress the importance of winning the league and surpassing rivals Barcelona. He inherits a fragmented squad, with the significant challenge of integrating star forwards Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Bellingham into a cohesive system, a task he admits is complex. Additionally, there's debate over the midfield, with some calling for a new defensive midfielder, though Mourinho expresses confidence in his current options. The season's first competitive match against Espanyol will be the initial test of Mourinho's renewed tenure and his ambition to bring success back to the Bernabéu.Show More MADRID, SPAIN - 2026/08/21: Jose Mourinho, the head coach of Real Madrid CF, attends a press conference at Ciudad Real Madrid, on the eve of the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/2027 week 2 football match between RCD Espanyol and Real Madrid CF. (Photo by Federico Titone/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesJosé Mourinho makes his competitive return to Real Madrid on Saturday night against Espanyol, sixteen years after he first walked into the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu as coach in the summer of 2010, fresh off winning the treble with Inter Milan. This time he arrives after Benfica, after Fenerbahçe, after Roma, and after two trophyless seasons at the...