Silva has extensive experience in English football, having managed Hull City, Watford, and Everton, in addition to a five-season stint at Fulham. During his time at Fulham, he led the team to promotion from the Championship and secured three consecutive top-half finishes in the Premier League.

Silva began his coaching career at Estoril Praia, where he won the Liga 2 title in his first season and led the team to fifth and fourth-place finishes in the top division. He then managed Sporting, where he won the Portuguese Cup, and Olympiacos, where he won the Greek championship.

Bruno Lage, the previous Benfica coach, was replaced by Mourinho in September 2025, and the team finished the season in third place. Benfica was eliminated from the Champions League in the round of 16 and from the Portuguese Cup and League Cup in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, respectively.

Mourinho's return to Real Madrid marks a return to the club where he previously spent three seasons, from 2010/11 to 2012/13, and won a Spanish league title, a Copa del Rey, and a Spanish Super Cup.

The Spanish club agreed to pay the 15 million euro release clause for Mourinho's services, and the coach has given his full agreement to move to the Spanish capital.