Mourinho Formally Unveiled: “i’M One of You. I Always Have Been”
There was no crowd at the Santiago Bernabéu, no stage on the pitch and no lengthy press conference. José Mourinho was formally presented as Real Madrid coach during a private ceremony at Valdebebas. The understated setting did not prevent the Portuguese manager from delivering the line that immediately defined the occasion.
“I’m one of you. I always have been,” Mourinho said.
The event took place in the boardroom at Ciudad Real Madrid. In the presence of club president Florentino Pérez and honorary president José Martínez Pirri, Mourinho signed a three-year contract running until 30 June 2029. He was then presented with a personalised shirt, a watch and a replica of the stadium.
This was not a traditional unveiling. Supporters were not invited and there was no press conference. Real Madrid have adopted a more private format for this summer’s presentations, with the club’s new signings expected to receive similar treatment.
Mourinho has already completed the main part of preseason with the squad. He returned to Valdebebas in July, meaning Tuesday’s ceremony formally completed a process that had begun several weeks earlier. The Portuguese coach admitted that starting his second spell in Madrid felt even more emotional than arriving for the first time.
“Coming home is more emotional than arriving here for the first time,” he said.
Mourinho described working for Real Madrid not as another position on his résumé but as a mission. He spoke about restoring a daily culture based on hard work, responsibility and ambition. There was no promise of a specific number of trophies, but the message was clear: standards must rise across the squad and coaching staff.
The manager returns to Madrid 13 years after the end of his first spell. He took charge of 178 matches and won 128 of them, lifting La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup. He also guided Madrid to three consecutive Champions League semi-finals.
The defining achievement came in the 2011/12 league campaign. Real Madrid finished with a then-record 100 points, won 32 matches and scored 121 goals. Mourinho’s side ended Barcelona’s three-year hold on the Spanish title.
He now finds a completely different squad at Valdebebas, although the expectations will feel familiar. Madrid have made major changes to the team and handed their coach a contract until 2029, giving him the opportunity to build according to his own principles. With Mourinho, however, “time” usually means the period before the next major match.
He did not need a stadium presentation to announce his return. One sentence was enough. Thirteen years later, Mourinho is one of them again. His task now is to make Real Madrid look like themselves again.
