Real Madrid are on the brink of competitive action, and Jose Mourinho has made clear that the time for warm-up games is finished. After watching his side edge past Deportivo de A Coruña 1-0 in their penultimate friendly, Mourinho delivered a sharp message to his squad: the real work begins now. It is a tone that sets the mood for a club desperate to end a trophyless run after Barcelona retained the title last season and left the Bernabéu without silverware for the first time in years.

The squad Mourinho has assembled carries genuine quality. Kylian Mbappe arrives into the new season with extraordinary momentum, having won the Golden Boot at the 2026 World Cup with 10 goals, as noted in GOAL's match preview. Jude Bellingham remains central to Mourinho's plans, though debate about his best position continues, with John Barnes telling GOAL the midfielder is most effective operating as a No.8 rather than in a more advanced role. On the defensive side, Dean Huijsen has taken the iconic number 4 shirt, inheriting a jersey worn by Sergio Ramos, while new signing Marc Cucurella has publicly backed Mourinho to deliver a strong season.

Squad stability has been reinforced off the pitch too. Eduardo Camavinga rejected a €40m move to Manchester United, committing his future to the club, while Vinicius Junior signed a new contract despite genuine interest from Arsenal. Real Madrid's La Liga opener has been pushed back due to a mandatory post-World Cup rest agreement, with their season set to begin at Espanyol on August 22. Before that, they face Schalke 04 in their final preseason fixture on August 16.