Jose Mourinho admits Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr may not play together in ‘difficult’ Real Madrid XI

REAL MADRID boss Jose Mourinho has admitted it will be “difficult” for his superstar trio of Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius to play together. Mourinho, 63, has returned to the Bernabeu 13 years after his last stint came to an end. Jose Mourinho says Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham might not fit in the same team Credit: Getty Mourinho admits he has a dilemma to find the ‘perfect’ system for his superstar trio Credit: Getty The former Chelsea boss has inherited a talented side that has under-performed despite boasting big name stars like Mbappe, Vinicius and Bellingham. Madrid had a rare trophyless season in 2025-26 and only won the Uefa Super Cup in the previous campaign. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! And Mourinho says he faces a dilemma to find the right system that is “perfect” for the three of them. He told the media: “They are incredible players and incredible players want to play with incredible players. “Top players have frustration when they play with teammates who are not top. “The best want to play with the best. After the tactical adjustments, it might be a little bit more difficult. [Carlo] Ancelotti has found the perfect Brazil for Vini, [Didier] Deschamps for Kylian in France, [Thomas] Tuchel for Jude. “It is more difficult for Mourinho to find a team that’s perfect for the three of them. But there we are. I want the three to feel comfortable on the field when they play. Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK “I have a lot of confidence that we’ll do well when all three play together. They are high-quality players and I don’t think they’re incompatible at all. We’re going to have a great season with them.” When asked what his ideal starting XI would be, he replied: “We’ll see who has the best connections. Let’s see who has the best connections. “The players already know who’s playing. I’m not one to hide things. They know. Maybe your information will arrive in a couple of hours. “I’m not going to say. I don’t have an ideal starting eleven. If I do, I don’t want to have one. I want to keep the door open to competition.” Bellingham previously admitted the team can become “disorganised” because the three players have so much freedom and fluidity. He said last season: “It’s difficult, because I still feel like there have been many games where we’ve mixed really well. “It can be difficult when we’re all on the same side. We’re fluid, we have freedom to move around, at times that can disorganise a bit, but with both of them, you have to trust in their ability.” Real Madrid kick off their second reign under Mourinho with a trip to Espanyol in LaLiga on Saturday night. Comment now