Benfica confirmed on Thursday that José Mourinho has taken charge of the club, marking his first managerial job in Portugal since leaving Porto for Chelsea 21 years ago.
The 62-year-old, who has previously led teams such as Real Madrid and Manchester United, was dismissed by Fenerbahce in August after the Turkish side lost to Benfica in the Champions League play-offs.
Mourinho agreed to a contract running until the conclusion of the 2026/27 season, with an option allowing either side to terminate it after the current campaign.
The Lisbon outfit parted ways with Bruno Lage following a shock loss to Qarabag in their Champions League group opener on Tuesday.
Challenging tests ahead
Mourinho is set to face familiar opposition in the coming weeks, with Benfica scheduled to meet Chelsea in the Champions League on September 30 and Porto in the domestic league on October 5.
Speaking alongside club president Rui Costa, he described his approach as more selfless than before, saying he aims to bring happiness to others and place the club’s success ahead of his own profile.
Mourinho began his managerial journey at Benfica in September 2000 after serving as an assistant at Barcelona under Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal. He left after 11 matches and went on to impress at Uniao de Leiria before achieving major success with Porto, winning two league titles and the 2004 Champions League.
He later managed Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Real Madrid, before a less fruitful period that included spells at Manchester United, Tottenham, Roma, and Fenerbahce.
Seeking new glory with Benfica
Mourinho noted that some view his career as having two distinct phases, but he highlighted reaching two European finals in the past five years as evidence of his ongoing competitiveness.
Over the course of his career, he has won three Premier League titles with Chelsea, the Champions League with Inter in 2010, and a La Liga crown with Real Madrid, among numerous other honours. Since 2017, his only trophy has been the Conference League with Roma in 2022.
His first match in charge of Benfica will be against AVS on Saturday. He stressed that returning to the club gives him as much pride and drive as any of his previous high-profile jobs.
Mourinho said he is more mature now than during his first stint with the club and believes the current squad is capable of winning the league, which Benfica last secured in 2023 after Sporting Lisbon claimed the past two titles.
