Mourinho returns to Benfica as manager on two-year deal

Jose Mourinho has been confirmed as Benfica's new manager, signing a two-year contract that runs through the end of the 2026-27 season, with an option for either side to end the agreement 10 days after the final official game of the 2025-26 campaign. Benfica announced the appointment on Thursday, following the shock Champions League defeat to Qarabag that led to the dismissal of Bruno Lage.

Mourinho, 62, returns to management less than a month after being dismissed by Fenerbahce following a Champions League play-off defeat by his new club Benfica. He begins his second spell in Lisbon after a stint that started in 2000, when he managed 10 games before leaving amid a boardroom dispute. The new deal includes an option to end the contract after the 2025-26 season, giving both sides flexibility as they seek stability amid a challenging run in all competitions.

Benfica sit sixth in the Primeira Liga, five points adrift of leaders Porto but with a game in hand. His first game back at the club is scheduled for Saturday at 18:00 BST, a trip to 17th-placed AVS.

Mourinho built his coaching reputation at Porto from 2002 to 2004, guiding the club to six trophies, including the Champions League in 2003-04. Since leaving Portugal in 2004, he has managed Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Roma and Fenerbahce, collecting 21 major trophies along the way. His most recent honor came with Roma in the 2021-22 Conference League, cementing his status as one of the game's most accomplished managers. The Portuguese coach, who famously dubbed himself “the special one” early in his career, returns to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea in the Champions League on 30 September.

Benfica president Rui Costa said the club needed a manager with a “profile of a winner,” and Mourinho’s track record appears to fit that brief. He has won 21 major trophies, with the Roma Conference League title in 2022 acting as his most recent silverware prior to this appointment. Mourinho arrived in Portugal on Wednesday evening, draped in a Benfica scarf, and spoke of his willingness to return to one of his footballing homes. When asked why he would be interested in the job, he said, “If I return to Benfica, it won’t be a career celebration, nor 25 years later, nor a return home. I’m interested, I’d like it.”

Benfica also travel to Newcastle and host Real Madrid later in the Champions League group phase, underscoring the high-stakes environment Mourinho is entering. The club last won the domestic title in 2022-23 and finished second in the league last season, continuing a period of close competition with Porto in Portugal’s top flight.

Mourinho’s return in Lisbon adds another layer of intrigue given his storied career. He started with Benfica in 2000, left after only 10 matches amid disagreements with the club’s leadership, and soon moved on to União de Leiria before rising to international prominence with Porto. His managerial path has included multiple leagues and cultures, marked by high-pressure championship runs and occasional public feuds involving refereeing and media commentary.

In Turkey, Mourinho endured a turbulent spell with Fenerbahce, often clashing with officials and publicly criticizing officiating standards. He once attributed a late-season win against Trabzonspor to “half of the truth” about refereeing and described a referee as “man of the match” in a controversial moment. Earlier, he filed a lawsuit against Galatasaray in February after the rival club accused him of making racist statements, underscoring a career-long willingness to engage in high-profile disputes as part of the job. Despite those episodes, Mourinho’s return to Benfica is framed as a bid to stabilize the club’s fortunes and restore momentum ahead of a demanding schedule.

If successful, he will aim to guide Benfica back to the upper echelons of Portuguese football and compete in Europe while leveraging a squad already familiar with his demanding standards. The club’s leadership, including Costa, emphasized that the choice of Mourinho reflects the desire for a winner who can elevate Benfica to the levels expected by its supporters and board.