Mourinho Reveals Why He Returned to Real Madrid, Which Rules He Wants His Players to Break

José Mourinho has revealed the reasons behind his return to Real Madrid, offering candid insights into his coaching philosophy, his relationships with players, and his expectations of them. The Portuguese manager shared his thoughts during a ride on the “Bet it drive show” with Yevhen Krazhan, explaining how the club convinced him to take the helm once more.

“At the end of last season, the club contacted me. They told me: ‘We know you, you know us; you know the club, the culture, and the people. We know how you work. We want you to rebuild the team. We need you. We need you to restore the team and usher in another magnificent decade, like the one the club experienced. We need someone with your profile,’” Mourinho recounted. He admitted that at the time, he was content at Benfica and in Portugal, but “Real Madrid is Real Madrid,” and ultimately, he accepted the challenge.

The Special One also emphasized the crucial role of constant communication in building relationships with his players. “I always like to maintain excellent communication with the players. I often tell them: ‘This is my idea for the match, this is my strategy, this is how I analyze it with my assistants, this is how we want to play.’ But more important than how I want us to play is how they feel. ‘Do you think you can do this for me? Can you execute the tasks I’m giving you? If not, tell me your opinion.’ I don’t believe it works if a player does something they don’t believe in,” the coach explained.

Mourinho also revealed the significance of one of his favorite messages to players – “don’t betray me.” “When I say ‘don’t betray me,’ I’m talking, of course, about football. Don’t betray me, and I will always be by your side. Whatever happens,” the Portuguese stated. He clarified that a professional footballer must carry this responsibility at all times, not just during training and matches.

“You are a footballer 24 hours a day. You train two or three hours a day, but you are a footballer for all 24 hours. Everything affects your performance – what you eat when you’re not at the club, what you drink, how you sleep, even aspects of your personal life. Unfortunately, a footballer cannot ski or cycle. If they do – and there are those who do it secretly from the club – I don’t care about the contract. I care about how you approach your work. If you fall off a bike, you might miss three matches or something even worse – break your leg or get a concussion that prevents you from performing at the highest level,” Mourinho said.

“Football, at its core, is not a job, but a way of life. If you treat it as a hobby, you’re lost. If you consider yourself a footballer for only a few hours a day, you won’t reach the top. Ultimately, it’s a way of life. I recently watched a documentary about Rafael Nadal. It’s impressive what he gave up and the sacrifices he made to achieve that career. There’s always a connection between what you achieve and what you give to achieve it,” the manager added.

Mourinho also drew an important distinction between rules that he considers non-negotiable and those he wants players to break on the field. “There are rules and rules. There are rules that are non-negotiable. And there are others that I love players to break. If you have to be at training at 9 AM, that means 9 AM for everyone. If you arrive at 9:15, even if you’re a superstar, you simply cannot do it. I do not accept or tolerate the breaking of such a basic rule,” he declared.

“But during a match, if a player – thanks to their talent, creativity, or intuition – breaks the rule and risks doing something different, I like that. Before the match, I try to minimize unpredictability, but when it’s time to play, I don’t think about analysts and assistants. I just have an intuition and act on it. So, for me, the immutable rules are off the field. On the field, you have to break the rules,” the Portuguese explained.

He also discussed his approach to dealing with big stars in the dressing room. “Footballers are artists. When you reach a certain level, it’s not just the result of your preparation and education. You have gifts that God probably gave you. So, you have to surrender to that and follow your instincts,” Mourinho said. “Those who create problems because of their ego, for me, are not superstars. For me, a superstar is a complete person. Part of that is a personality where ego is proportionate to talent. But there comes a point where they know when enough is enough. When they don’t know when to stop and want to cross that line, for me, they are no longer a superstar,” The Special One added.

“I learn every day. I learn from difficult moments, I learn from the people I work with, and especially from the footballers. To win, we have to work together. We have to play for each other and sacrifice for each other. Ultimately, there’s always a connection between what you achieve and what you give to achieve it,” Mourinho concluded.