Real Madrid have officially appointed Jose Mourinho as their new manager on a three-year contract, the La Liga club confirmed in a statement. The Portuguese tactician will join the squad on July 13, when preseason begins.

Mourinho's appointment became inevitable after club president Florentino Perez was re-elected this week. In his victory speech, Perez hailed Mourinho as "one of the best coaches in the world" and expressed pride in his return.

The 63-year-old leaves Benfica to return to the Spanish capital, where he previously coached from 2010 to 2013. During his first stint, he won one La Liga title, one Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup, famously breaking Barcelona's dominance under Pep Guardiola.

Real Madrid have endured a humiliating end to their domestic campaign, with Barcelona clinching the league title with a 2-0 victory in "El Clasico" earlier this month. The club has also failed to progress beyond the Champions League quarterfinals in the last two seasons, leaving them without a major trophy for two consecutive years.

Perez stated: "We will continue working to keep winning titles. We will fight until the end to achieve the 16th European Cup." Mourinho's return is seen as a gamble by the regime, but one that could restore the club's glory.

Source: www.aljazeera.com