Why Real Madrid Rehiring Jose Mourinho Would Be a Terrible, Terrible Idea

Real Madrid are scouring the market for a new manager to take over the floundering team, and a divisive, familiar name has emerged atop their shortlist: José Mourinho.

The end is near for current boss Álvaro Arbeloa, who took over the team in January after Xabi Alonso’s short-lived tenure ended with a whimper. Despite his best efforts, the former Castilla boss could not revive what is a systematically broken Real Madrid side, prompting his expected dismissal this summer.

Plenty of high-profile managerial targets have been linked with the club, including Jürgen Klopp, Mauricio Pochettino and Didier Deschamps. But The Athletic report Mourinho is club president Florentino Pérez’s favored candidate for the job, setting the stage for a potential grand return to the Spanish capital for “the Special One.”

There is a certain appeal to bringing back the legendary manager to right the sinking ship at the Bernabéu, but a second stint for Mourinho can only go one of two ways—incredible or horribly, horribly wrong.

Mourinho’s Résumé Speaks for Itself

José Mourinho led Real Madrid to their best La Liga season in history. | Angel Martinez/Real Madrid/Getty Images

Mourinho commanded Real Madrid’s touchline from 2010 to 2013, and completed Spanish soccer in those three seasons. The Portuguese icon won the Copa del Rey in his debut campaign and then led Los Blancos to a record 100 points and the La Liga title in his sophomore stint. He concluded his tenure by winning the Spanish Super Cup.

Three trophies might not jump off the page, but considering Real Madrid have not even had a sniff at the major honors in the last two years makes the feat all the more impressive. No matter how reluctant the club or the fans are to admit it, the standards have dropped at the Bernabéu—now, even winning the Copa del Rey would be a huge accomplishment for a team that used to win the Champions League for fun.

Mourinho, who never led the club to European glory, also racked up the second-highest winning percentage of any manager in club history with 71.91%. In 178 matches in charge, he won 127, drew 28 and lost 23.

That type of winning formula is sorely missing from the current squad, who often cannot be bothered to close out games or look clueless trying to do so. Mourinho, who prioritizes winning above all else, would bring a welcomed new mindset to a team desperate to reclaim the team’s halcyon days.

The Allure of Expired Goods

Despite his résumé at Real Madrid and his impressive trophy cabinet from a legendary career, Mourinho has not regularly hit the same heights since leaving the Bernabéu in 2013. The 63-year-old has claimed just one league title, which came at Chelsea in 2014–15 alongside the Carabao Cup.

He did steer Manchester United to Europa League, Carabao Cup and Community Shield glory during his tenure at Old Trafford, and also led Roma to Conference League glory.

That’s six trophies in 13 years during stints at Chelsea, Man Utd, Tottenham Hotspur, Roma, Fenerbahçe and Benfica. Another manager with the same accomplishments would likely never get considered for arguably the toughest job in soccer.

But Real Madrid have a habit of giving old faces the keys to the kingdom, even when there are clear signs not to do so.

Repeated History Could Doom Real Madrid Even Further

Cristiano Ronaldo, Iker Casillas, José Mourinho — Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Iker Casillas (center) had a falling out with José Mourinho. | Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Everyone remembers what a disaster the Real Madrid dressing room ultimately become under Mourinho. The manager had a personal feud with club captain Iker Casillas, referred to Karim Benzema as a “cat” and fell out with Cristiano Ronaldo.

It’s no secret that managing players and egos at the Bernabéu is the most important part of the job, and Mourinho proved he is incapable of doing so for more than a couple of seasons. Hiring such a polarizing figure, who demands everything from his players and is unafraid to hurl criticism at even the biggest of stars, is asking for trouble.

Whether that says more about the players in white than the manager is an entirely different debate. But that is simply the reality at Real Madrid.

Perhaps if Mourinho was coming into a harmonious dressing room, eager to change its ways, then it would be a different story. Except the players are already fractured, and bringing in a leader of the Portuguese’s character and reputation will likely only spiral things further.

Just imagine Mourinho arguing with Kylian Mbappé about why he didn’t track back. The Frenchman might have liked an Instagram post about the former manager returning to the Bernabéu, but he surely is not ready—or likely willing—to play that style of soccer.

The Vinicius Junior Situation

Vinicius Junior, José Mourinho — José Mourinho (center) had a poor response to Vinicius Jr’s racism allegations. | Octavio Passos/UEFA/Getty Images

Then there’s Vinicius Junior, another player who historically does not play with the same defensive intensity and work rate Mourinho requires. Those differences would be the least of the problems between the two, though.

Mourinho made headlines for all the wrong reasons after Real Madrid faced off with Benfica in the Champions League knockout phase playoffs this season. Vinicius Jr accused Gianluca Prestianni of aiming racial abuse his way after scoring the match-winner at the Estádio da Luz.

In response, Mourinho insinuated the Brazilian incited the reaction due to his celebration. He then went on to say, “When he was arguing about racism, I told him the biggest person in the history of this club [Eusébio] was black. This club, the last thing that it is, is racist. If in his mind there was something in relation to that, this is Benfica.”

Widespread criticism for such shameful comments hit Mourinho, but he never truly backtracked or admitted his wrongdoing. Yet Pérez doesn’t seem too concerned with potentially allowing him to lead a predominantly Black squad, headlined by Vinicius Jr.

Forcing the two to work together is a disaster waiting to happen, and if anything has proven to be true over the last two years, it’s that Real Madrid goes the way Vinicius Jr goes.

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