Sami Khedira joins Mourinho's Real Madrid coaching staff: 'I couldn't say no'
Sami Khedira, a former Real Madrid midfielder who won La Liga and the Champions League with the club between 2010 and 2015, has been added to Jose Mourinho's coaching staff ahead of the 2026-27 season. The former Germany international cited the club's place in his heart and Mourinho's influence as decisive factors. The move reunites a pair who overlapped during Khedira's playing days. Khedira brings leadership experience from his time at Real Madrid, Juventus, and Hertha Berlin, and is expected to contribute to the dressing room dynamic as much as the tactical setup.
Read the full story at nytimes.comBringing in a former club great as a coach is a statement of identity as much as a sporting decision. Khedira's return adds a voice in the dressing room that already knows the weight of the shirt, which can be a stabilising presence during a transitional phase. Pairing him with Mourinho — a manager Khedira openly admires — suggests a staff designed around trust and cultural continuity rather than purely tactical novelty. For Real Madrid supporters, it reinforces a sense of homecoming; for the wider squad, it raises the bar on accountability.
Context added by Socc360, not by nytimes.com.
Data source: nytimes.com (via Socc360). Last updated .
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