Real Madrid name expanded squad for final pre-season test against Schalke

Jose Mourinho has named the Real Madrid squad for Sunday’s friendly against Schalke, with new arrivals Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konate and Yan Diomande included for the first time since joining the club.

The match at Schalke’s stadium will be Real Madrid’s final friendly before the 2026-27 season begins. It will also mark the return of Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Thibaut Courtois after the trio completed their period of rest.

Mourinho’s selection includes a mixture of established first-team players, new additions and members of the wider squad as Real Madrid prepare for their opening competitive fixture. The Spanish side will begin their La Liga campaign away against Espanyol after completing their preparations against Schalke.

Courtois is included among three goalkeepers, alongside Andriy Lunin and Ilya. The defensive group features a number of prominent names, including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rudiger and the newly selected Konate and Cucurella.

Alvaro Carreras, Denzel Dumfries, Dean Huijsen and Mario Rivas are also part of the defensive contingent. The full squad selected by Mourinho is:

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Andriy Lunin, Ilya.

Defenders: Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Marc Cucurella, Alvaro Carreras, Antonio Rudiger, Denzel Dumfries, Mario Rivas.

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde, Arda Guler, Bernardo Silva, Sasterio, Alexis Siria.

Forwards: Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe, Carlos Espe, Brahim Diaz, Yan Diomande.

Mbappe’s inclusion is one of the main features of the squad after his break, while Bellingham and Courtois are also available again as Real Madrid complete the final stage of their pre-season programme.

The club go into the meeting with Schalke after a narrow victory in their previous friendly. Real Madrid defeated Deportivo La Coruna 1-0 in that match, giving them a win to build on before their final warm-up fixture.

Sunday’s game therefore represents the last opportunity for Mourinho to assess his players in a friendly before the new campaign gets under way. The meeting with Schalke is followed by Real Madrid’s first La Liga fixture, an away match against Espanyol.

With the three new players now added to the squad and several key figures returning from rest, Real Madrid will use the match to complete their preparations for the 2026-27 season.