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Real Madrid cruised to a comfortable 3–0 victory in their final preseason fixture of the summer against Schalke 04 at Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany on Sunday.
For José Mourinho, the venue carries special significance. It was where he claimed his 2004 Champions League final victory with Porto, a moment that essentially defined the trajectory of his managerial career. As he gears up to properly begin his second spell with Los Blancos, it seemed only appropriate that this would be the last stop of the warm-up tour before the competitive season kicks off.
Real Madrid wasted no time in breaking the deadlock, with Kylian Mbappé finding the net just six minutes in during his first appearance since netting 10 goals at the 2026 World Cup.
MBAPPÉ POUNCES! ⚡️🔥
He takes full advantage of a defensive mistake and buries it to open the scoring vs Schalke 04! 🎯#DAZNPreseasonFriendlies pic.twitter.com/QSyQ3OTnYo
The move began as a defensive holding exercise from Mourinho's side, letting Schalke circulate the ball just inside their own half. Mbappé then triggered the press that drew Bernardo Silva and Arda Güler forward from midfield, unsettling the Schalke players and forcing an ill-fated back-pass from Ron Schallenberg to goalkeeper Loris Karius, which the Frenchman intercepted. The finish past the former Liverpool shot-stopper was straightforward.
Dean Huijsen doubled the advantage in the 20th minute with a header from a Güler corner.
Halftime substitute Carlos Espí then added a composed third with just under an hour on the clock, heading home at the far post after Álvaro Carreras burst forward and delivered a cross from the left flank.
Important Minutes for Returning Stars, Debutants
La Liga's 2026-27 season officially got underway this weekend.
However, while Alavés enjoyed a dream opening result against Getafe on Saturday and RC Deportivo are set to make a long-awaited return to the top flight on Monday by hosting Elche, Real Madrid were among the small group of clubs that chose to postpone their opening day fixtures.
This arrangement was agreed upon during a league vote in June, with the reasoning that clubs relying on players who featured at the World Cup earlier this summer could use the extra time to prepare before the season begins. For context, the Premier League doesn't kick off until next weekend, while the Bundesliga starts the week after.
This gave Mbappé the chance for his first outing since the World Cup third-place playoff on July 18 to come in a non-competitive setting. Ibrahima Konaté, Yan Diomande and Marc Cucurella all made unofficial debuts for the club in a more relaxed environment.
Jude Bellingham was also back in action to make his first impression under Mourinho.
They'll be heading into next week's trip to RCDE Stadium in Barcelona considerably better prepared.
Who Will Be Mourinho's Starting Defense?
Carreras delivered a solid performance at left back, which he'll be pleased about given the competition now posed by Cucurella, while Trent Alexander-Arnold continued to press his case at right back with Denzel Dumfries also adding depth on that side. Both starting fullbacks played 61 minutes before being replaced by the new arrivals looking to claim their spots.
Mourinho will be content to have two capable options for each fullback position.
In central defence, Éder Militão is expected to return from injury sometime in September, keeping him out of contention for at least the next few weeks.
Huijsen looks well-placed to earn the manager's nod against Espanyol next Saturday, with Konaté competing against Antonio Rüdiger for the other centre-back slot. The latter two each played a half in this match against Schalke.
Espi Winning Endrick Battle
THIS is exactly why they brought him in. 🎯🔥
Carlos Espí finds the net to round off a dominant 3-0 win!#DAZNPreseasonFriendlies pic.twitter.com/aQtcf4Gd32
Endrick didn't even travel to Germany amid reports of muscle discomfort in the days leading up to the match. While he is expected to remain at Real Madrid beyond the upcoming transfer deadline, the Brazilian enters the season as third-choice striker and may not have truly benefited from outlasting Gonzalo García, who has since joined Fulham.
Espí's impressive form since joining from Levante has established him as the primary backup to Mbappé, whom he replaced at halftime. The young Spaniard had previously come on for Endrick in the two prior friendlies against RC Deportivo and Ferencváros, and has now scored in two of his last three appearances. Endrick, by contrast, has yet to find the net throughout preseason despite being handed starts.