While Madridistas eagerly circle July 13 on their calendars to mark the official commencement of José Mourinho’s second managerial era at Real Madrid, the Portuguese tactician is navigating a logistical nightmare behind the scenes.
According to an analytical breakdown by Sport, the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America has heavily disrupted Madrid’s domestic planning. When Mourinho blows the whistle for the first training session at Valdebebas, he will have access to fewer than half of his first-team players—just 13 out of a 28-man squad.
The Absentees and the Vacation Timeline
The massive disruption centers on FIFA’s mandatory post-tournament rest periods. For players whose international setups run deep into the knockout rounds, the integration timeline is incredibly tight.
- The Finalists: Any player reaching the World Cup Final on July 19 will start a mandatory holiday block on July 20, reporting back on August 10—a mere five days before the opening matchday of the La Liga season.
- The Early Returns: Arda Güler and Federico Valverde have already seen their respective World Cup journeys come to an end in the group stages. However, due to mandatory vacation allocations, neither player is expected to step onto the Valdebebas grass before July 20.
The Available 13: Injury and Transfer Chaos
The situation gets progressively more stressful when evaluating the 13 players technically scheduled to report on day one. Mourinho cannot even rely on a stable, cohesive core due to immediate fitness issues and intense transfer market speculation.
| Availability Status | Affected First-Team Players |
| Injured / Recovering | Rodrygo Goes, Éder Militão |
| Uncertain Futures / Up for Sale | Eduardo Camavinga, Raúl Asencio, Gonzalo García, Fran García, Franco Mastantuono, Thiago Pitarch |
| Fully Available & Counted On | Trent Alexander-Arnold, Álvaro Carreras, Andriy Lunin, Ferland Mendy, Dean Huijsen |
With two key Brazilians sidelined on the treatment table and six starlets currently sitting on the transfer block, Mourinho is left with only five fully fit, secure first-team regulars to run tactical drills during the foundation stage of pre-season.
RMxtra Verdict: An Unfair Start for the Boss
It completely clarifies why Mourinho jokingly remarked to the media that he wanted his own Real Madrid stars to lose early in the World Cup. Trying to install a complex, highly disciplined new defensive and transitional framework when half your squad is on holiday and the other half is packing their bags for a transfer exit is practically impossible.
The board must move lightning-fast to clear out players like Fran García or secure the future of Camavinga so Mourinho can actually field a cohesive unit during our pre-season tour.
