Real Madrid's Mourinho calls up Mbappé and record signing Diomandé for Schalke friendly

Mourinho's squad for the final test

José Mourinho has called up all his returning stars for Real Madrid's last pre-season friendly against Schalke 04 on Sunday, August 16, at the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen. The match kicks off at 17:00 and serves as the final rehearsal before the club begins its La Liga campaign against Espanyol Barcelona on August 22 at 21:30. Six players who had been training separately after the 2026 World Cup in the United States return to the squad: Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Thibaut Courtois, Ibrahima Konaté, Marc Cucurella and Yan Diomandé. The Portuguese coach had said after the Teresa Herrera Trophy that the difficulty of the friendlies would increase and that six important players had remained training at Valdebebas. The Spanish championship resumed on Saturday, and the friendly was arranged through a federation derogation to accommodate the late return of internationals from the World Cup.

Yan Diomandé in line for debut

The standout inclusion is 19-year-old Ivorian winger Yan Diomandé, who arrived in early August from RB Leipzig for a reported €140 million including bonuses, making him the most expensive signing in Real Madrid history. Diomandé could make his first appearance in the white shirt on Sunday. The summer arrivals of Konaté, Cucurella and Diomandé represent the club's effort to rebuild a squad that has gone two seasons without a significant trophy. Mourinho, known for his ability to motivate and extract the best from players, will have the task of integrating the new signings and finding the best formation for a team in a phase of renewal.

Mbappé returns as World Cup's all-time top scorer

Kylian Mbappé returns to the squad after becoming the all-time top scorer in World Cup history during the 2026 tournament in the United States. He will be coached by Mourinho for the first time. Of the six returning players, four are considered near-certain starters. Diomandé, though young, is the record signing and will likely receive opportunities, while Konaté currently has the fewest prospects of regular inclusion in the starting eleven.

Absentees and surprises

Several first-team players will not travel to Germany. Aurélien Tchouaméni has not recovered from the groin injury he sustained during the World Cup, and Brazilian youngster Endrick remains in Madrid with physical problems. Raul Asencio, Ferland Mendy, Rodrygo, Eder Militao and Thiago Pitarch are also in rehabilitation from injuries. The squad list features a surprise: Ukrainian goalkeeper Illia Voloshyn, who fled the war in his country, receives a call-up. Mario Rivas remains among the center-backs, while Joan Martínez drops out.

Pre-season form and context

Real Madrid will look to preserve their unbeaten pre-season run, having beaten Leganes 4-1, Ferencvaros 2-1 and Deportivo La Coruña 1-0, and drawn 2-2 with Fiorentina. The match also marks the 25th anniversary of the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen. Mourinho returns to the city where he led FC Porto to the Champions League title.

Real Madrid's first La Liga match was postponed, which allowed them to schedule this friendly. The league opener against Espanyol corresponds to the second matchday of the Liga EA Sports season. The match will be broadcast on La1 and RMTV in Spain, and on L'ÉquipeLive in France.