Every supporter and observer of the Portuguese coach has an opinion on him, but how has his career evolved either side of Madrid?

LaLiga

José Mourinho before and after Real Madrid part I: what can fans expect for the return of the “Special One” to the Bernabéu?

Calum Roche

Managing Editor AS USA

Sports-lover turned journalist, born and bred in Scotland, with a passion for football (soccer). He’s also a keen follower of NFL, NBA, golf and tennis, among others, and always has an eye on the latest in science, tech and current affairs. As Managing Editor at AS USA, uses background in operations and marketing to drive improvements for reader satisfaction.

Update: May 15th, 2026 08:59 EDT

Make us preferred on Google

Talk about a Twizzlers coach in sport. Fans either love him of hate him. OK, before you fill the comments box with explanations of how you’re somewhere in the middle, appreciating his man-management skills while being acutely aware of how his combative edge can turn abrasive and counter productive, I know it’s not an exact science.

But you hopefully get my point.

Personality aside, his achievements as a soccer coach – not as a player, you’ll remember – are without question. Or, at least, they were.

José Mourinho before and after Real Madrid part I: what can fans expect for the return of the “Special One” to the Bernabéu? — LaLiga 100 points in 2011/12 with José Mourinho at the helm.Angel Martinez

The truth is, José Mourinho has never really left Real Madrid.

More than a decade after his stormy exit from the Bernabéu, the Portuguese coach suddenly finds himself linked with a sensational return. As we’ve been reporting here at AS, initial talks have already taken place through agent Jorge Mendes, while Mourinho weighs Benfica’s renewal offer against the possibility of one final chapter in Madrid.

And if the move happens, fans of Los Blancos already know exactly what they would be getting: intensity, control, drama and, potentially, trophies.

But the numbers also tell another story.

The Mourinho before Madrid was almost unstoppable

Before arriving at Real Madrid in 2010, Mourinho’s rise felt almost mythological.

He won the Champions League with (relatively modest) Porto. It really was a surprise at the time. He then broke Chelsea’s long title drought. He went on to dominate Serie A with Inter Milan and completed a historic treble. Across those years, his win percentages were absurdly high almost everywhere he went.

What has Mourinho won?

At Porto, he won 91 of 127 games and collected six trophies in just two years. His first Chelsea spell produced five trophies and a staggering 124 victories. Even at Inter, where the pressure was relentless, he still won five trophies in two seasons.

Then came Real Madrid.

Mourinho’s three-year spell in Spain delivered only three trophies, but context matters. He walked into peak Pep Guardiola Barcelona territory and still managed to break records, including Madrid’s famous 100-point La Liga title-winning season in 2011-12. He may also have punctured an opposing coach’s eye, as tensions between the eternal rivals reached new heights.

For many supporters, that version of Mourinho represented the last truly feared Madrid side before the club’s Champions League dynasty under Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane.

Mourinho after Madrid: the trophy count slows down

The second half of Mourinho’s career looks very different. And not just in terms of silverware.

His return to Chelsea brought another Premier League title, but also the first major collapse of his managerial career. Manchester United produced lower-tier silverware but not the planned seat back on that perch. Tottenham ended without a trophy, and little progression. Roma delivered an emotional Conference League title, although consistency became harder to find.

The statistics from his post-Madrid years show a noticeable shift. The win percentages remained respectable, but the dominance faded. At Roma, losses nearly doubled compared to his peak years. What all of these experiences had in common – even through successful spells – was a bitterness, clear division across the club and fanbase, and a style of play that didn’t inspire. There were consistent calls along the lines of “his time has passed.”

And yet, clubs keep calling.

Why Real Madrid might still believe

The interest in Chamartín is not just nostalgia.

The club appears to view Mourinho as a stabilizing figure during a potentially chaotic transition period, given the recent turmoil. As we reported, Mourinho has already outlined two priorities for a return: greater input on squad balance and clearer authority structures around the first team.

Those demands sound very familiar to anyone who remembers his first Bernabéu era.

Back then, Mourinho transformed Madrid into a side obsessed with physical intensity, defensive structure, and psychological edge... sometimes pushing them across the acceptable line. He also played a major role in the arrivals of players like Luka Modric, Sami Khedira, and Mesut Özil.

Now, at 63, the question is different. Can José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix still evolve enough for modern Real Madrid if the agreement is finally agreed?

Thanks to our friends at Sofascore for the graphics.