Real Madrid have officially begun their 2026-27 season, with Jose Mourinho taking his first training session as head coach at Valdebebas on Monday afternoon.
According to Real Madrid’s official website, the squad members not away on World Cup duty underwent medical check-ups at the Hospital Blua Sanitas Valdebebas and Ciudad Real Madrid on Monday morning before Mourinho’s first session at 17:00, marking the practical start of his second spell in charge following Florentino Perez’s confirmation of the new managerial direction after his re-election as club president. Football Espana reports that Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Thibaut Courtois are among those still absent and will return on a staggered basis once their World Cup involvement ends.
Trent Alexander-Arnold And Dean Huijsen Among First To Work Under Mourinho
Eduardo Camavinga, Franco Mastantuono, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen were named among the players present for Mourinho’s opening session, alongside Alvaro Carreras, Andriy Lunin, Gonzalo Garcia and Raul Asencio, according to Telemadrid. Real Madrid’s own coverage confirmed the same group in its photo gallery from Valdebebas.
Eder Militao, Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy also attended Monday’s medical examinations but continue their individual recovery programmes away from the group, both outlets reported. With numbers thin so early in the window, Mourinho drew on Real Madrid Castilla players to fill out the session, Football Espana added, continuing the search for defensive reinforcements already flagged by the club’s enquiry for Piero Hincapie.
Real Madrid’s first two pre-season fixtures are already on the calendar: Fiorentina at the Worthersee Stadion in Klagenfurt on August 1, followed by Deportivo La Coruna in the Teresa Herrera Trophy at Riazor on August 12. Mourinho’s fuller picture of the squad will only take shape once the World Cup contingent returns to Valdebebas in the coming weeks.
