Mourinho Set to Welcome Back Full Squad for Pre-Season at Real Madrid
Jose Mourinho finds himself heading into his first pre-season back as Real Madrid’s manager without many key players and recent signings. The absence of several first-team stars stems from their participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where many players enjoyed extended holidays following deep runs in the tournament.
Mourinho has had to adapt by working with the available players and incorporating talented academy prospects like Alexis Ciria, who have impressed during training. According to Mundo Deportivo, Mourinho will soon have his full squad at his disposal, as the last five World Cup participants are set to return to Valdebebas on Monday.
Five Internationals Scheduled to Return
Marc Cucurella, Kylian Mbappe, Aurelien Tchouameni, Ibrahima Konate, and Jude Bellingham will all report back as Real Madrid enters its fifth week of summer preparations. Before joining the team for training at the club’s facilities, these players will first undergo the usual medical checks.
For Cucurella and Konate, this will mark their first official training session as Real Madrid players after transferring to the club earlier this summer.
Mourinho will now have the entire Madrid squad at his disposal, with Cucurella returning as a world champion after his success with Spain, while Konate aims to integrate into the team’s defensive setup.
Preparation Before La Liga Opener
The returning internationals, however, come back at a slight disadvantage, as they are behind in pre-season conditioning due to their lengthy breaks. Mourinho’s immediate task is to ensure their physical readiness without exerting too much pressure too soon.
Real Madrid has two significant friendlies lined up before the competitive season kicks off. They are set to face Deportivo La Coruña in the Teresa Herrera Trophy on August 12, followed by a match against Schalke 04 in Germany on August 16. These matches will allow Mbappe, Bellingham, Cucurella, and others to gain match fitness.
Mourinho Begins to Shape His Lineup
This marks a pivotal moment in the pre-season for Mourinho, as he can finally start working with a team that closely resembles his ideal starting lineup. Up until now, while some patterns have emerged, the exact nature of Mourinho’s tactics and starting players has remained largely unclear.
It is important to note that, despite his extensive experience, Mourinho has not made a significant impact in recent seasons. Thus, hitting the ground running at Real Madrid is crucial, as expectations can quickly shift from supportive to unforgiving.
Real Madrid opens its La Liga campaign against Espanyol on August 22, leaving Mourinho with just under two weeks to effectively integrate his returning internationals. The upcoming days will determine how well the team adjusts and which players ultimately feature in Mourinho’s preferred starting XI.
Jose Mourinho has had to navigate his first pre-season back as Real Madrid manager without many of his first-team stars and new signings.
With Los Blancos enjoying significant representation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and many of their players making a deep run in the competition, they have been on extended holidays since.
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This has forced Mourinho to adapt, work with the players he had with him and also trust academy starlets like Alexis Ciria, who have caught the eye.
Now, according to Mundo Deportivo, Mourinho will finally have his full Real Madrid squad available for pre-season, with the club’s last five World Cup participants returning to Valdebebas on Monday.
Five internationals return
Marc Cucurella, Kylian Mbappe, Aurelien Tchouameni, Ibrahima Konate and Jude Bellingham are all due to report back as Madrid begin the fifth week of their summer preparations.
The five players will first undergo the usual medical checks before joining training at the club’s facilities.
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For Cucurella and Konate, it will also mark their first proper session as Real Madrid players after joining the club earlier in the summer.
Mourinho will have the entire Real Madrid squad at his disposal. (Photo by David Balogh/Getty Images)
Cucurella returns as a newly crowned world champion with Spain and as one of Madrid’s biggest additions of the window, while Konate will begin integrating into Mourinho’s defensive set-up.
Work to do before La Liga opener
The returning internationals are naturally behind their team-mates in terms of pre-season rhythm after extended breaks following the World Cup.
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Mourinho’s immediate challenge will be getting them physically ready without pushing too hard too quickly.
Madrid still have two important friendlies before the competitive season begins.
They face Deportivo La Coruña in the Teresa Herrera Trophy on 12 August before travelling to Germany to play Schalke 04 on 16 August.
Those matches should provide useful minutes for Mbappe, Bellingham, Cucurella and the others as they build towards match fitness.
Mourinho can finally start shaping his XI
The real pre-season starts for Mourinho. (Photo by Christian Bruna/Getty Images)
This is the stage of pre-season where Mourinho can finally begin working with something close to his genuine first-choice team.
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Until now, although there have been some patterns to pick up on, it still is not clear how Mourinho’s Madrid are going to look the second time around.
It is also worth remembering that, for all his reputation, Jose has not exactly set the stage alight in recent seasons as a manager.
Thus, it will be so important for him to hit the ground running at Real Madrid, where the tune can change from comforting to ruthless in a matter of matches.
Real Madrid open their La Liga campaign against Espanyol on 22 August, giving Mourinho just under two weeks to integrate the final arrivals.
It remains to be seen how they get on and who eventually enters Mourinho’s preferred XI in a couple of weeks.
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