Mourinho's return, between elections and millions

Real Madrid C.F.

The Benfica side has already made the scenario clear. José Mourinho is more out than in if the plan surrounding Real Madrid's elections is triggered. The Lisbon club has officially informed the Portuguese stock-market regulator, the CMVM, and there are no shades of grey: if the deal is carried out, the coach will go to Real Madrid.

The statement says the following:

“Sport Lisboa e Benfica – Futebol, SAD (“Benfica SAD”) informs that the presidential candidate Florentino Pérez for the elections of Real Madrid CF has expressed its firm intention to hire the coach José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix in the event of winning the elections for the presidency of said club, scheduled for June 7, 2026. If this happens, the hiring will be carried out for an amount of 15.000.000€, corresponding to the termination clause of the current sports employment contract”

Benfica explained that the coach's departure would take place through payment of the termination clause, set at 15 million euros. That figure is equivalent to approximately one year of the coach's salary and is triggered if the club's political scenario in the white side is fulfilled.

The backdrop is set by the electoral move in Madrid. Florentino Pérez has pushed the Mourinho option as his choice for the bench if he wins the elections against Enrique Riquelme. At the same time, the candidacy had already publicly shown its intention with a video shared on social media in which the Portuguese coach gave his approval to the project, although in the end that video was generated by AI, according to Mourinho.

José Mourinho thus returns to the heart of the European chessboard. His contract with the Benfica is conditional on an external decision: elections and a termination clause already set.

What is striking is the order of events. First the fake political video, then the Benfica official confirmation, and in between, an operation that depends on the ballot boxes more than on sports offices.