Real Madrid call on Sami Khedira’s leadership as Jose Mourinho reshapes coaching staff

Sami Khedira has returned to Real Madrid as part of Jose Mourinho’s coaching staff, taking on a key role as the manager’s link with the players.

Mourinho asked the club to find someone with charisma and a strong presence in the dressing room, according to The Athletic. The request came after a decline in team unity last season, which reached its high point when Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde were involved in a dressing-room confrontation before May’s Clasico against Barcelona.

Khedira, 39, made 161 appearances for Real Madrid during a five-year spell at the club. He won seven trophies, including La Liga, the 2013-14 UEFA Champions League and two Copa del Rey titles.

The former Germany international was a regular during each of Mourinho’s three seasons in charge. The Portuguese manager admired Khedira’s strong personality and determination to win, while the midfielder was also valued for his calmness, organisational ability and early interest in match analysis and opposition reports.

This is Khedira’s first coaching position, despite having obtained a coaching licence. He said in 2024 that he was more interested in working in management and developing long-term strategies. However, people close to him said the opportunity to combine Real Madrid with Mourinho was one he “could not say no to”, and that he did not need time to consider it.

Khedira helps organise training and develop sessions alongside Joao Tralhao and Pedro Machado. He is also concentrating on the dynamics of the group and on raising standards within the squad.

The former Germany international is highly respected by Real Madrid’s players. One member of the squad told The Athletic that Mourinho leads more of the sessions, but Khedira “brings a lot of things and gives his opinion”.

Other sources described him as a “consultant” for the team and said: “When he needs to show personality, he does.”

Khedira occasionally takes part in training because he remains in good physical condition. Some players even joke that he could still play professionally.

Mourinho described Khedira as a “big addition” to his staff during his news conference on 21 August. He said the former midfielder was a good link with the players because he understood the club and its mentality, and possessed “the relationship an assistant needs with the players”.

Khedira began work in Madrid at the start of July, after attending the 2026 World Cup in North America in an official role with FIFA. Mourinho said Khedira had told him during the tournament that he was ready to begin in Madrid the following day if required.

The appointment follows a role Mourinho first introduced at Real Madrid in 2010, when he brought former defender Aitor Karanka into his staff. The tradition continued under Carlo Ancelotti, who worked with Zinedine Zidane and later Fernando Hierro as former players joined the coaching set-up.

Khedira left Real Madrid for Juventus, where he spent five and a half seasons, before ending his playing career with Hertha Berlin at the conclusion of the 2020-21 season. He subsequently worked as an analyst and commentator in Germany.

Despite moving on from the club, Khedira remained in contact with Mourinho and continued to express his affection for Real Madrid and his former manager.

The midfielder also knows the intensity of playing for the Spanish giants. In 2017, he said the club’s board had valued him and treated him fairly, but that he had not received the same level of appreciation from supporters.

Khedira said 10 good performances were regarded as something expected of a Real Madrid player, while one poor match could be enough to prompt doubts about whether he was capable of playing for the club.

Now, following the 2026 World Cup, Khedira and Mourinho are working together again, with the former midfielder beginning a new chapter in Madrid and taking on his first coaching assignment.