Eduardo Camavinga says he has become more disciplined and mature after a difficult past year at Real Madrid and believes Jose Mourinho has helped him regain confidence.
The France midfielder was left out of his country’s 2026 World Cup squad after struggling for consistency last season, but has made changes to his approach in an effort to improve his performances.
“I’ve worked really hard this summer and I’m a changed man. I’m more disciplined than before,” Camavinga said ahead of Real Madrid’s Champions League match against AEK Athens.
“I’m working hard to repay the trust the club has placed in me. I’ve given a lot of thought to the areas where I need to improve. I spoke to the manager and he gave me a real boost of confidence.”
The 23-year-old admitted that last season had been difficult but said he had tried to learn from the experience rather than dwell on the criticism he received.
“To be honest, it was a tough, difficult time for me,” he said. “But I believe that behind every negative experience there are positive lessons to be learnt.”
Camavinga was particularly criticised after Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final elimination by Bayern Munich. He was sent off in the 86th minute of the second leg, which Madrid lost 4-3 to go out 6-4 on aggregate.
The midfielder said the criticism had hurt but insisted his strong performance in the recent clásico against Barcelona was not an attempt to prove his detractors wrong.
“It hurt. It wasn’t about revenge. I work every day to achieve that sort of thing on the pitch,” he said.
“What I did in Barcelona will be forgotten, and I’ll have to keep doing it in other matches.”
Camavinga also spent part of the summer studying at Harvard Business School, where he took a short course in the business of entertainment, media and sports.
“I went back to school,” he said. “It was a very different experience. I worked on things I don’t usually do: discipline – I arrive two or three hours early to train in the gym … My mindset has changed too; I’m a bit more mature.”
The midfielder credited Mourinho with helping him develop further, describing the Real Madrid manager as approachable and a source of valuable lessons.
“He’s very friendly,” Camavinga said. “He’s a great manager with a rich history. You learn a lot from him every day, particularly about the mindset you need to have on the pitch.”
