Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho returned to his homeland 21 years after leaving Porto for Chelsea as Benfica appointed him their coach on Thursday.
The Lisbon club turned to the 62-year-old after dismissing Bruno Lage on Wednesday following a Champions League home defeat to Qarabag of Azerbaijan.
Mourinho has signed a contract “to run until the end of the 2026-27 season”, the club said in a statement, with an option for either party to end the deal following the current campaign.
The former Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester United manager was earlier sacked by Turkish side Fenerbahce in August after Benfica beat them in the Champions League play-offs.
Mourinho returns to Benfica after a short stint in charge of the club 25 years ago.
He enjoyed great success at Porto, before moving to Chelsea where he won three Premier League titles across two spells.
He will now be welcomed back to Stamford Bridge when Benfica play Chelsea in the Champions League on September 30.
He joined Chelsea in 2004, the summer after they had been taken over by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.
Mourinho led the Blues to two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and two League Cups in a first stint which ended in 2007.
He won a third league title and another League Cup crown in 2015.
Mourinho lifted the Champions League and Uefa Cup at Porto, and also won Europe's top club prize with Inter Milan in 2010.
He won the Europa League with Manchester United in 2017 and the Conference League with Roma in 2022.
“I come to Benfica at a different stage in my career, and as a person. We transform for the better,” Mourinho said, sitting alongside Benfica president Rui Costa.
“I'm more altruistic, less self-centred, I think less about myself and more about the good I can do for others, the joy I can bring to others. I'm not the important thing. Benfica is important.
“I'm now the coach of one of the greatest clubs in the world,” he added. “None of the other giant clubs that I coached in the world made me feel so honoured and motivated as I am now as the coach of Benfica.”
He said it's normal that not all Benfica fans were happy with his signing, and expected a “different” welcome by Porto fans when Benfica play at their rivals in October.
“The respect I have for them and that they have for me won't change, but I'll be back as the coach of their greatest rival,” Mourinho said.
