Jose Mourinho Confident of Solving Real Madrid Issue That Plagued Predecessors

Mourinho is back at the Bernabéu to try and bring an end to a period of real instability.

José Mourinho is the latest to search for a solution. | Hesham Elsherif/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Real Madrid manager José Mourinho insisted he has no concerns about the on-field relationships between Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham.

While the trio are undoubtedly among the best players in the world individually, Madrid have so far struggled to find a way that brings the best out of all three, with each of Bellingham, Vinícius and Mbappé seemingly taking turns in the spotlight.

Now with Yan Diomande in the mix, the challenge of maximizing every member of Madrid’s expensive quartet threatens to be a significant one. But Mourinho is adamant he will face few issues.

“They are incredible players,” Mourinho told Spanish media. “They want to play with incredible players. Top players get frustrated when they play with players who aren’t top players. The tactical fit can be more difficult. Carlo] Ancelotti has found the perfect Brazil for Vini, [Didier] Deschamps for Kylian, [Thomas] Tuchel for Jude. It’s more difficult to find the perfect Mourinho for all three. They have to do it because they think they can do it well.

“They are high-quality players. They don’t have incompatible positions. We’re going to have a great season with them.”

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How Mourinho Can Make Expensive Quartet Work

Vinícius Júnior (left), Kylian Mbappé (center) and Jude Bellingham (right) are yet to click. | Guillermo Martinez/NurPhoto/Getty Images

The issue of cohesion between these four players is not on the tactics board. Mourinho has been lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation during preseason, which offers each of Mbappé, Vinícius, Bellingham and Diomande their favored positions across the forward line.

Instead, the problems lie on the field. Much has been written about the fact starting striker Mbappé enjoys drifting out to the left wing to occupy the same spaces as Vinícius, who enjoys dribbling past defenders and feeding off a central striker. The two have never been on the same page instinctively, although they have managed to make things work well enough thus far.

Bellingham, meanwhile, thrived in his debut season when given the chance to be the focal point at Madrid. A box-crashing attacking midfielder, he scored 19 goals in his first La Liga season before Mbappé arrived, but that return more than halved in 2024–25.

“My role has changed a bit, I have to work more for the team and I lose a bit of effectiveness,” Bellingham said of a slump in form which, admittedly, began shortly before Mbappé’s arrival.

Mourinho has made it clear that “working for the team” is non-negotiable. His superstar forwards will all be reminded that they are part of a wider squad whose priorities must be team success, with individual accolades a welcome side-effect.

Giving each of Mbappé, Vinícius and Bellingham the freedom they need to express themselves, while also demanding the work rate and defensive effort required in any good team, has been the impossible job at the Bernabéu thus far. Mourinho clearly has no concerns about his chances of finding the solution, even if the addition of Diomande adds an extra layer of complication.

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