Mourinho's fantastic five

José Mourinho has his " untouchables " clearly defined, and you don’t have to dig too deep to find them: just take a look at the white side’s start to the season. Mbappé, Vinicius, Bellingham, Valverde and Courtois are, to date, the only footballers who have always been in the starting lineup for the Portuguese coach. Five names, five foundations on which the Portuguese is building his new Real Madrid .

Truth be told, all five have always carried the tag of ocean liners , and the unusual thing is to see them start from the bench. Last season, at this same stage, the picture was different. Bellingham was still recovering from his shoulder injury and Vinicius alternated starts with substitute appearances. With Mou, on the other hand, everything has gone more smoothly, without setbacks or surprises, and on that quintet he has built five wins in six matches.

The standout performer is Kylian Mbappé , who has started the season with a flurry of goals: seven in six matches. An average that, if maintained, could take him to 100 goals in white in just over two seasons. He is only seven short. Cristiano Ronaldo , the inevitable benchmark for the Frenchman, reached that figure in his third campaign, on a November 2 that Kylian has marked in red on the calendar as the deadline to match the Portuguese star's voracity.

His attacking partner, Vinicius , is still waiting for the emergence of his best version. He has just one goal in La Liga and three assists , and in attack he has not appeared with the clarity expected of him, lacking a touch of sharpness and accuracy in front of goal. That deficit, however, has not tarnished the aspect for which the Bernabéu criticized him most: that of collective work . Against Inter, a committed Brazilian was on display, with nine recoveries, a figure no Madrid attacker had posted in more than a decade. Mourinho has already warned that he will return in a big way.

Who has not disappointed expectations is Bellingham . The Englishman was one of the main talking points after his seven-goal World Cup, which made clear what his natural habitat is, behind the "9". Mourinho has moved him back to that spot, as he was crystal clear that he did not want to see Jude operating almost as a "double left-back" , a role that tired him out and took him away from his area of influence, the box and its surroundings. Repositioned, he has recovered flashes of his 2023/24 version: three goals and two assists in these six matches.

Valverde is smiling again too. There is not a trace left of that improvised patch at full-back, a chapter that Arbeloa already closed and that Mourinho has not even considered . Nor is he seen out on the wing. The Uruguayan is now an essential piece of a double pivot where his effort and sacrifice are indispensable . He may not be the most refined on the ball, but that task falls to his partners, Tchouaméni or Bernardo Silva . He provides the muscle, the stamina, and the captain's leadership.

And none of the above would make sense without the hands of Courtois . The Belgian has already dressed up as a hero on several occasions, although in his case it is more habit than heroism. He was outstanding against Inter and once again kept his team afloat with fine saves during the relaxed spell against Rayo . The clean sheet, however, continues to elude him, because defending is a collective act. He has kept his goal unbeaten only once, against Málaga . A pending issue that concerns everyone, not just the goalkeeper.

'Five fantastic players, ultimately, for a project that is getting underway with a firm step. Mourinho has found in them the backbone of his Madrid , the footballers on whom the identity of a team hungry for titles rests. The season is long and rotations will come, but for now the coach knows who his indispensable players are . And, judging by the results, trusting them is working out just fine for him. '