Mourinho Declares Love for Real Madrid, Praises Mbappé, Disses Barcelona

Jose MourinhoCoach·Jose Mourinho has made a definitive return to the Santiago BernabéuVenue·Santiago Bernabéu, taking the helm once more as Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid's head coach. In his first significant media appearance since rejoining the club, an interview with Vanity Fair, Mourinho articulated his enduring "love" for Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid and offered high praise for star forward Kylian Mbappé, while simultaneously taking a "cheeky dig" at rivals BarcelonaTeam·Barcelona.

Mourinho, who previously managed Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013, affirmed his commitment to the club, stating, "I don't deny I love Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid, and this is the reason I'm going back." He indicated a shift in his approach, emphasizing a focus on "very fluent and honest dialogue" in his current tenure, suggesting a more measured leadership style.

The Portuguese coach reserved particular admiration for Kylian Mbappé, who joined Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid in the summer of 2024. Mourinho described the French international as a "phenomenal player" and pledged to "help him become even better." Mbappé has been a prolific presence for the Spanish giants, accumulating 86 goals and 12 assists in 103 matches across all competitions since his arrival. For the 2025/26 season, Mbappé notably inherited Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid's iconic No. 10 shirt following Luka Modrić's departure, having worn the No. 9 in his debut campaign where he scored 44 goals. He concluded the 2025/26 La LigaCompetition·La Liga season as Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid's top goalscorer with 25 goals, and 42 goals across all competitions.

Mourinho's comments also included a pointed remark directed at BarcelonaTeam·Barcelona, challenging the perception of their historical dominance in high-scoring, attractive football. He revisited his successful 2011-12 season with Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid, asserting, "The team that scored the most goals in the history of Spanish football was my Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid in the 2011–12 season, with 121 goals and 100 points in a single season." He characterized BarcelonaTeam·Barcelona's reputation for incredible, high-scoring football as a "huge contradiction." Despite the intensity of the El Clásico rivalry during his previous spell, Mourinho maintained he harbors "no bad feelings" towards BarcelonaTeam·Barcelona, viewing the competition as a catalyst for his own improvement.

His return comes at a pivotal moment for Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid, who have endured two consecutive trophyless seasons. In contrast, BarcelonaTeam·Barcelona, under Hansi FlickCoach·Hansi Flick, has enjoyed significant domestic success, securing five out of six possible pieces of silverware. The 2025/26 La LigaCompetition·La Liga season saw BarcelonaTeam·Barcelona crowned champions with 94 points, while Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid finished second with 86 points. In their head-to-head encounters during that season, Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory at the Bernabéu in October, ending a four-match El Clásico losing streak. In the UEFA Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League 2025/26, Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid advanced to the quarter-finals, overcoming Manchester CityTeam·Manchester City with a 5-1 aggregate score in the Round of 16, before being eliminated by Bayern MunichTeam·Bayern Munich with a 4-6 aggregate loss.

Mourinho's objective is clear: to re-establish Real MadridTeam·Real Madrid's dominance, end BarcelonaTeam·Barcelona's recent domestic run, and guide the club to major trophies, leveraging the talent of players like Kylian Mbappé to achieve these ambitions.