José Mourinho is back at Benfica. After 25 years, the coach returns to the club that gave him his first opportunity in 2000, stepping once again onto the stage where it all began. Now 62, he arrives with a contract running until 2027, though there’s a clause that allows either side to walk away at the end of this season.
His debut is set for Saturday against AVS in the Portuguese league, and the anticipation couldn’t be higher. Benfica, still reeling from a shocking Champions League exit to Qarabag, is betting on a figure capable of changing the mood right away.
The first time and the present
Back in 2000, Mourinho was a rookie leading a professional team for the first time. He took charge of Benfica after Jupp Heynckes left and debuted with a loss to Boavista. The opening games were inconsistent, but the team eventually found form and he closed his brief stint with a 3-0 win over Sporting. His departure wasn’t about results but politics: a change in the club’s presidency cut the project short after only 11 matches.
Today, the picture is different. Mourinho hasn’t coached in Portugal since 2004, when he guided Porto to a Champions League title before leaving for a career that spanned Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham, Roma, and Fenerbahçe. With highs and lows along the way, he won trophies, stirred controversy, and built a reputation as one of soccer’s most compelling figures. Returning to Benfica is more than just taking another job. It’s about revisiting an unfinished chapter in his story.
The immediate impact of his return
By bringing Mourinho back, Benfica didn’t just hire a coach. They brought in a figure who energizes fans, divides opinions, and draws international attention. He made a point of saying he didn’t come back to celebrate his career, but to honor the millions of Benfica supporters around the world. Strong words that fire up the crowd and raise the stakes.
The mission ahead is anything but easy. The team is under pressure after an early Champions League exit and a coaching change at the start of the season. Bruno Lage was dismissed after the Qarabag defeat, and Mourinho inherits a squad in need of confidence, structure, and quick results. His decision to stay at the training center until his debut shows he knows there’s no time to waste. Speeches matter, but what really counts will be what the team delivers on the field starting Saturday.
Mourinho will also cross paths with some old rivals. In the Champions League, he’ll face Chelsea, the club that catapulted him to global fame, and in the Portuguese league he’ll go head-to-head with Porto, the team where he achieved his greatest triumphs at home. These matchups bring extra drama and spice to the season. If expectations were already high for his return, these games will turn it into a spectacle of its own.