Article by Maria Olteanu – Published Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 5:29 p.m. / Updated Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 5:29 p.m.
Jose Mourinho (63) is being touted for a return to Real Madrid, and Kylian Mbappe's (27) reaction on social media has ignited fans' imaginations. The Portuguese technician received the “approval” of the French star and now it remains to be seen how things will evolve in the next period.
A day after scoring in a 2-1 home win over Alavés, the French striker on Wednesday liked a social media post that mentioned the Portuguese coach's possible return to the Bernabeu. In the photomontage, Mbappe was placed right next to the technician, who could return to Madrid after 14 years, according to abola.pt.
Kylian Mbappe “validated” Mourinho at Real Madrid
The name of the Benfica coach was one of the most circulated to succeed Álvaro Arbeloa next season, although the former has already stated that he wants to stay in Portugal, but without guarantees. The future of the Spanish technician is under discussion and it seems that he will leave the post in the summer.
In this regard, Mbappe liked a post from the score90 Instagram account. The image in question is a montage that, at the top, shows Mourinho alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Ozil in 2012 and, at the bottom, depicts the same coach with Mbappé and Arda Guler in 2026.
Photo: X
On the official account, Mbappe reacted to the post and set social media alight, with many interpreting the gesture as a sign that the player would be excited about the possibility of being coached by Mourinho at the Spanish club in the future.
