Three-week international break a concern - Mourinho

Jose Mourinho, manager of Real Madrid, has expressed concerns about the upcoming three-week international break in late September and early October, warning it could disrupt his squad’s preparation and increase injury risks.

Speaking ahead of Real Madrid’s La Liga match against Málaga on Sunday, Mourinho highlighted the extended break as a potential challenge. “The international break does concern me,” he said. “It’s a lot of time.” His main worry is not players who play for their national teams, but those who travel with their squads without seeing action. “Players who join and play don’t worry me as much. It’s the ones who join and aren’t really involved that concern me.” Mourinho added that losing players for three weeks complicates training and squad continuity.

The change stems from FIFA’s revised international match calendar for the 2026–27 season. Traditionally, there have been five FIFA breaks—March, June, September, October, and November. Now, the September and October breaks have been merged into a single three-week window in late September and early October, during which national teams will play four matches instead of two. The November, March, and June breaks remain unchanged.

FIFA has cited multiple reasons for the shift. The 2026 FIFA World Cup final is scheduled for July 19, the latest date for a summer World Cup since 1966. Player welfare and travel load were also key considerations. Spain’s national team manager, Luis de la Fuente, has previously welcomed the change, while other European coaches have raised concerns about player fatigue and recovery time.

Mourinho also raised concerns about injuries, noting that players often pick up knocks during international breaks or immediately after returning. “Very often they pick up injuries during those breaks and right after returning from an international break,” he said. “So it does worry me, but this is the way these things are.”

The Portuguese manager also discussed the workload of key Real Madrid players like Jude Bellingham, Marc Cucurella, and Kylian Mbappé, who had demanding summer schedules. He emphasized that the club is carefully managing their minutes to reduce injury risk.

In his pre-match press conference, Mourinho praised Bellingham, calling him “extremely important” for the team beyond his goal-scoring. “He is a unique kind of player, extremely important for the team,” Mourinho said. “His mental strength, tactical ability, the way he recovers the ball, the way he pressures, the way he plays up front.”

He also commented on the Ballon d’Or debate, arguing that winning the Champions League or World Cup should not automatically make a player the favorite for the award. “It’s a very beautiful thing individually and that enters into the individual history of a certain player,” he said. “I think it’s normal there are a dozen players of a very high level, of which we have three or four.” Mourinho suggested the award should reflect a player’s lasting impact on football. “For me, the Ballon d’Or has to be one of those players that when he finishes playing, we miss for eternity,” he said.

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