José Mourinho says he wants Real Madrid players to lose at World Cup

José Mourinho has been appointed the new head coach of Real Madrid, with his first day at Valdebebas set for 13 July. In the Beast Mode On podcast he said his priority is getting the club’s players back for pre‑season, stating: “I want the Real Madrid players to lose and go on vacation so they are back for the preseason.” Mourinho dismissed rumours of a squad purge, insisting he wants the best players and will manage their egos. He highlighted recent signings such as Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konaté and Denzel Dumfries, and said his first task will be to open “a very fluent and honest dialogue” with the squad, including stars like Kylian Mbappé. The comments sparked media attention across Spain and internationally as the 2026 World Cup unfolds in the United States, Mexico and Canada.