According to Marca, Mourinho has been very clear about his "untouchable players," which has been evident since the start of the season: Mbappe, Vinicius, Bellingham, Valverde, and Courtois have been the Portuguese coach's consistent starters. Five names, five pillars—Mourinho is building his new Real Madrid around them.

Ultimately, these five players are considered superstars, and seeing them on the bench would be unusual. At this same time last season, the situation was different. Bellingham was recovering from a shoulder injury, and Vinicius alternated between starting and coming off the bench. Since Mourinho took over, everything has run much more smoothly, without obstacles or surprises. He has relied on these five players to win five of six matches.

Mbappe has been the most impressive, starting the new season with goals: 7 goals in 6 matches. If he maintains this efficiency, he is projected to score 100 goals for Real Madrid in just over two seasons; he currently needs 7 more. Cristiano Ronaldo is the inevitable reference point for this French striker, as the Portuguese player reached that milestone in his third season at Real Madrid. Mbappe has marked November 2 on his calendar as the deadline to match that goal-scoring efficiency of the Portuguese superstar.

His strike partner, Vinicius, is still waiting for his best form to return. The Brazilian has scored just 1 goal and provided 3 assists in the league, and his offensive presence has not yet fully met external expectations—slightly lacking in chance creation and finishing in front of goal. However, this does not obscure the aspect most criticized by the Bernabéu: teamwork. Against Inter Milan, he looked like the Vinicius who gives everything, making 9 tackles—a statistic that no Real Madrid forward has achieved in over a decade. Mourinho has indicated that Vinicius will have more prominent moments.

Bellingham has not disappointed. The English player's performances since the World Cup with 7 goals have been a major highlight, clearly showing that his best position is behind the striker. Mourinho has moved him back to that position. The coach has been very clear that he does not want to see Jude playing almost as a "left wing-back," which would exhaust him and take him away from his area of influence—the penalty box and its surroundings. In his new position, he has regained some of the spark from 2023/24: 3 goals and 2 assists in these 6 matches.

Valverde is smiling again too. His temporary role as emergency wing-back is over; that chapter was closed long ago by Arbeloa, and Mourinho has not even considered it. Valverde is no longer playing on the wing. He is a key part of the double pivot, where his drive and sacrificial spirit are essential. In terms of technical skill, he may not be the most refined, but that task is handled by his partner, whether it's Tchouaméni or Bernardo Silva. Valverde provides the aggression, coverage, and captain-like leadership.

And none of this would be possible without Courtois's hands. This Belgian goalkeeper has turned into a hero repeatedly, but for him, it is more habit than accident. He was in excellent form against Inter Milan and stabilized things with several brilliant saves during the relaxed phase against Rayo Vallecano. However, a clean sheet has not yet come, because defense is a team effort. He has only kept one clean sheet, against Malaga. This is homework for the entire team, not just an issue for the goalkeeper.

In short, these five players provide a strong foundation for this project to begin. Mourinho has found the backbone of his new Real Madrid, and the team's identity and ambition are built around them. The season is still long, and rotation will come eventually, but for now, the coach knows who is essential. Based on current results, relying on them is not a mistake.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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