Mourinho’s journey since Real Madrid: from glory to unfinished business | OneFootball

José Mourinho’s future now appears to be linked once again with Real Madrid, as talk of a return to the Santiago Bernabéu continues to build. However, the coach of 2026 is no longer the same figure who arrived in Spain in 2010 carrying the “Special One” reputation.

When he was unveiled in May 2010, José Mourinho had just completed a trophy-laden season with Inter Milan, winning the Coppa Italia, Serie A and the Champions League. Fast forward to today, and his most recent major honour remains the UEFA Europa Conference League title in 2021/22.

While Real Madrid CF have gone on to enjoy a hugely successful period over the past 13 years - including six Champions Leagues and four La Liga titles - Mourinho’s own journey has been far more turbulent. Here is a look back at his career since leaving Madrid.

Return to Chelsea

After departing Madrid, Mourinho returned to English football with Chelsea, the club where he had already enjoyed major success between 2004 and 2008. His second spell at Stamford Bridge brought silverware, but also ended in controversy.

In 2013/14, Chelsea reached the Champions League semi-finals, narrowly missing a potential showdown with Real Madrid in the final after being eliminated by Atlético Madrid.

The following season, they won both the League Cup and the Premier League, earning Mourinho a contract extension through to 2019.

However, sustaining that momentum proved difficult. Mourinho was dismissed in December 2015 with Chelsea sitting 16th in the Premier League, amid reports of tensions with key players including Eden Hazard, Diego Costa and César Azpilicueta. The club reportedly paid a £40 million settlement to end his contract early.

Moving to Manchester United

A few months later, Mourinho took charge of Manchester United, where his pattern of early success followed by instability continued. In his first season, he delivered three trophies: the Community Shield, the League Cup and the Europa League.

The following campaign saw three runners-up finishes — including defeats to former clubs in the UEFA Super Cup against Real Madrid and the FA Cup final against Chelsea. The third came in the Premier League, where United finished behind a record-breaking Manchester City side.

His tenure ended in December of the following season after a poor run of results, with United on just 26 points from 17 matches and growing unrest within the squad, particularly involving Paul Pogba.

Back to London with Tottenham

Mourinho returned to the Premier League in November 2019 with Tottenham Hotspur FC, replacing Mauricio Pochettino. He inherited a side in 14th place and guided them back into the top six, securing Europa League qualification.

The following season, however, his spell ended abruptly when he was dismissed just days before the League Cup final against Manchester City. Once again, his exit was surrounded by scrutiny over performances and strained relationships within the squad, including with Dele Alli and Gareth Bale.

Success in Rome

After a short break from management, Mourinho was appointed head coach of AS Roma in 2021, marking a return to Italian football more than a decade after leaving.

It proved to be a successful chapter, as he guided Roma to the inaugural Europa Conference League title in 2021/22, defeating Feyenoord in the final. The following season, they came close to further European glory but lost the Europa League final on penalties to Sevilla.

He was sacked in January 2024 after a mixed run of results left Roma mid-table in Serie A, alongside an early exit from the Coppa Italia.

Mixed fortunes in Turkey

In June 2024, Mourinho took charge of Fenerbahçe, where he was greeted with huge expectation. His time in Turkey lasted just over a season, producing 37 wins from 62 matches but no silverware.

Despite finishing runners-up in the league, Fenerbahçe fell short in Europe, and Mourinho’s spell ended during Champions League qualifying after a defeat to Benfica — a result that ultimately sealed his fate.

Unbeaten but trophyless in Portugal

Mourinho’s next move took him back to Portugal with Benfica, completing an emotional return after more than two decades. Having previously had a brief spell there early in his career, he returned to a very different environment.

He stabilised the side and secured Champions League qualification after a dramatic final-day win over Real Madrid, but success did not translate into trophies. Benfica suffered semi-final and cup exits domestically, while finishing an unbeaten league campaign in third place behind Porto and Sporting.

Despite avoiding defeat in the league, the season ended without silverware and with Europa League qualification instead of the domestic title.