Jose Mourinho has shared insights into the players he cherished coaching most during his illustrious managerial career, which has spanned stints at Manchester United, Chelsea, and Real Madrid.
The 61-year-old, presently without a managerial position following his departure from AS Roma, has overseen the development of numerous esteemed footballers over the past two decades.
From the iconic trio of John Terry, Frank Lampard, and Didier Drogba during his initial tenure at Chelsea, to the formidable Real Madrid lineup featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Sergio Ramos.
Throughout his highly successful 24-year career, ‘The Special One’ has collaborated with countless talented individuals.
However, when pressed on his favorites, Mourinho shared his perspective with former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand on VIBE with FIVE.
After Ferdinand asked his guest to name the players he enjoyed coaching most, Mourinho said: “The players I most enjoyed are the players that gave me everything.
“There are dozens and dozens and dozens. And they are maybe not the most talented ones but they gave everything… the ones that I felt could not give anything more than what they gave. These are my players.
“I don’t want to be unfair with people but, when you play a kid, the kid becomes your kid for life. That’s always my feeling. I look to Raphael Varane, now, at the end of his career. He is my kid.
“When I look to Scott McTominay… Pogba was on the bench and I played him in Seville. He is my boy. When I go from club to club, I find my boys. And they will always be my boys.”
Mourinho added: “Then there are the big stars. My captains. [John] Terry, [Javier] Zanetti and Jorge Costa. These are the guys that play through anything. They are phenomenal.
“Then there are the stars that make the difference, even when people think you are the genius. You are not the genius. They are. They win matches for you. Cristiano [Ronaldo], [Karim] Benzema, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic and Didier [Drogba]. They make you feel like a genius.”
- Bellingham could face TEN-game ban for alleged Greenwood ‘rapist’ slur
- Cristiano Ronaldo named only player he considers GOAT alongside Messi & himself
- Chelsea planning to offload two high-profile stars at the end of the season
On the subject of Cristiano Ronaldo, Mourinho also detailed how he turned the five-time Ballon d’Or winner into a goalscoring machine at Real Madrid.
He said: “Motivation, you don’t need to give him. Ambition, responsibility, you cannot give him. Technically, you cannot give him. It’s just to give him some tactical adjustments and let the guy be happy.”
Mourinho added: “I think you don’t coach. I don’t have to teach much, it is about being happy, it is about creating an environment by the tactical point of view, by the idea of football where the player can show his best.
“I think Madrid, for him, was a little bit of a transition because for you, he was a winger. “Right winger, left winger, out wide, dribbling, attacking people, beating people.
“In Madrid, he became more the goalscorer he was for the rest of his career. “In fact, probably the first time he played as a striker in a big match was Real Madrid vs Barcelona in the cup final where he scored an amazing goal, an amazing header in extra-time.
“Probably that was the beginning of people having a feeling that animal could be a goalscorer and not just a pure winger.
“Madrid was a little bit of that, a little bit hybrid because he was playing from the left but he was not wide and he was not chasing full-backs.
“We were protecting him with the balance that we were giving behind with Xabi Alonso and Sami Khedira.”
Watch the full interview with Mourinho through the clip below:
