Thibaut Courtois backs José Mourinho's return to Real Madrid

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois emphasized that the return of the team's former head coach, José Mourinho, and his demanding discipline would be very valuable to the squad. Goal.com reported that the Belgian goalkeeper returned to training ahead of schedule to speed up his recovery after suffering an injury during the 2026 World Cup. This was reported by Goal.com reports this.

In an interview with Real Madrid TV, Courtois praised the Portuguese coach's unique ability to build a collective winning mentality. According to him, Mourinho is a demanding coach who places discipline and the team's interests above individual talent.

Discipline and the drive to win

“Mourinho is a demanding coach who puts discipline and the team first. For me, these are decisive factors in winning. He is a great coach and a very sincere person. He is extremely straightforward, and I appreciate that. I think this is the right direction,” said Thibaut Courtois.

The past partnership between Thibaut Courtois and José Mourinho was filled with success and outstanding results. The two previously worked together at Chelsea in London and won the Premier League title in the 2014–15 season. The Belgian goalkeeper recalled that period fondly and said he would like to repeat similar successes in Madrid.

Return after injury

Alongside the changes in the coaching staff, Courtois is focusing on restoring his fitness after suffering a serious injury at a summer international tournament. The goalkeeper was injured in a World Cup quarter-final against Spain and had to leave the pitch, so he cut short his holiday and returned early to the training base in Valdebebas.

He said he began individual training ahead of the other players to make sure everything was in order after the injury. Courtois was pleased to report that he had started working with the goalkeepers and was feeling well.