Real Madrid opens with a perfect record under Mourinho and rediscovers its competitive edge

Three games, three wins, and a feeling that hasn't been seen at Valdebebas in a long time: that of a team enjoying itself on the field. Real Madrid under Jose Mourinho opened the season with a perfect record in LaLiga, coming from behind for a dramatic win at Espanyol, putting on a show against Real Sociedad at the Bernabeu, and cruising past Malaga. Just three matchdays in, and the differences from what fans saw last season under Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa are already clear.

The stars are shining again

Last season, neither Kylian Mbappe, nor Jude Bellingham, nor Vinicius could quite click together in the big games. Now the story is different. Mbappe already has four goals in three matches, Bellingham has contributed two goals and two assists, and Vinicius, though not yet at full fitness, has chipped in a goal and two key passes. Mourinho has given Mbappe and Bellingham total freedom across the front line, while keeping Vinicius anchored to the left wing. So far, the results speak for themselves.

A locker room rowing in the same direction again

Xabi Alonso and Arbeloa never managed to fully get a handle on the Real Madrid locker room, and episodes like the argument between Tchouameni and Valverde or Vinicius's snub during the Clasico were proof of that. Mourinho arrived with that unfinished business waiting for him and, according to club sources consulted by ESPN, he has sorted it out: players have shared meals together several times at the Ciudad Deportiva, and the overall mood has shifted. The Portuguese coach is now the undisputed leader of the group, and curiously, he comes across as far calmer than he did during his first stint as Real Madrid manager.

Bellingham's case stands out the most. After two muted years under Ancelotti and then Xabi Alonso, the Englishman is starting to resemble the player who dazzled in his first season in white and was named England's MVP at the last World Cup. Mourinho has freed him from defensive duties and lets him play almost like an out-and-out forward.

Now I feel like I have more freedom, because I have the freedom to drop back and play in a more advanced or more withdrawn position depending on what's needed. I really enjoy playing, and that's the secret to my good form.Jude Bellingham

A leadership that also shows up at the microphone

Can you measure a coach's impact by what he says in a press conference? With Mourinho, almost. His press appearances at Valdebebas run about 30 minutes, well beyond what Xabi Alonso and Arbeloa used to offer, and in them he defends his players, addresses every bit of controversy, and talks football without holding back. He's still as competitive as ever, though he himself admits to feeling calmer than during his first spell at the club.

The other big hallmark of this start to the season is meritocracy. Arda Guler, the standout of preseason, has all but locked down a starting spot, even if it means moving Bellingham around. Against Malaga, Mourinho surprised everyone by starting Brahim Diaz ahead of Yan Diomande, and at left back he handed the reins to Marc Cucurella after he earned the job on the field, having started the league campaign behind Alvaro Carreras. No spot is guaranteed based on price tag: whoever performs plays, and after last season, that alone counts as news within Real Madrid.