The legendary Portuguese coach, Jose Mourinho has won more than he's lost, having lifted countless pieces of silverware. But when things don't quite work out as planned, he's brilliant value – an absolute quote goldmine for any back page editor worth their salt.

Here are six occasions in which Jose Mourinho was a monumentally sore loser after suffering defeat.

Chelsea vs Liverpool, 2005

Luis Garcia's ghost goal lives in European footballing infamy. It ultimately proved the difference as Rafael Benitez's Liverpool qualified for the Champions League final at Chelsea's expense in 2005 – and Mourinho responded in a characteristically measured fashion. Ahem.

"Bring out the linesman and ask him why he awarded the goal," Mourinho responded.

"It must be 100% in and he must be 100% sure it is.

"My players say it's not a goal. Other people say nobody can confirm it was a goal. Only one person decided the future of a team and of players who have never played in a Champions League final.

"Players make mistakes and he made a mistake. But I must accept that. Football is sometimes cruel. It sometimes goes your way and sometimes it goes against you.

"They scored if you can say that. You can say the linesman's scored. It was a goal coming from the moon or from the Anfield Road stands."

Also Read: https://sportzpoint.com/football/an-amazing-xl-of-players-jose-mourinho-has-sold-during-his-career/

Chelsea vs Barcelona, 2006

Mourinho had previously served as an assistant to Bobby Robson at the Camp Nou but his past in Catalonia didn't stop him giving it both barrels to Barcelona's golden boy after Chelsea full-back Asier del Horno was sent off for fouling Lionel Messi.

"Can we suspend Messi for what you call in Barcelona play-acting?" Mourinho asked afterwards. "Barcelona is a very cultured city. It's a place where they understand all about the theatre.

"I think it's of course not a red card. The kid is not just a very good player; he's more than that. He jumps and provokes contact with Del Horno and because of that the referee gives him the red card.

"It's not a red card. Of course not, and for the second time we have to play 55-60 minutes without a man and that is completely different."

Mourinho interviewed for the vacancy at Barcelona a couple of years later but the club hired Guardiola instead. Some believe that his comments and tactics were a key reason for him not landing the job.

Real Madrid vs Barcelona,  2011

Barcelona and Real Madrid's epic rivalry reached white-hot new heights when the two clubs faced off four times in the space of three weeks in April 2011.

Pep Guardiola and Mourinho already had a war of words after Madrid beat Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final and Mourinho didn't back down after losing the first leg of the Champions League semi-final.

The Los Blancos coach was incensed by the decision to send off Pepe and went on to go full tinfoil hat about it.

"If I tell UEFA what I really think and feel, my career would end now," Mourinho said.

"Instead I will just ask a question to which I hope one day to get a response: Why? Why? Why Ovrebo? Why Busacca? Why De Bleeckere? Why Stark? Why?

"Because every semi-final the same things happen. We are talking about an absolutely fantastic football team, so why do they need that? Why? Why does a team as good as they are need something that is so obvious that everyone sees it?"

Mourinho's comments earned him a five-match touchline ban and a €50,000 fine.

Chelsea vs Southampton, 2015

Mourinho didn't mince his words with a mammoth seven-minute interview after a 3-1 home defeat to Southampton left Chelsea sitting 16th in the Premier League table in October 2015.

"I think it's time to be a little bit honest and to say, clearly, the referees are afraid to give decisions for Chelsea," he said in a Sky Sports interview.

" the result 1-1, it's a huge penalty, and once more we don't get .

"I repeat, if the FA wants to punish me they can punish me. They don't punish other managers, they punish me, it's not a problem for me.

"I want to say it again – referees are afraid to give decisions for Chelsea. Why? Because when they give there is always a question mark from you, there is always a question, there is always a critic, so we are always punished."

Man Utd vs Sevilla, 2018

Mourinho was keen to offer a healthy dose of perspective with a history lesson after Manchester United's Champions League elimination at the hands of Sevilla in 2018.

"I say to the fans that the fans are the fans and have the right to their opinions and reactions but there is something that I used to call football heritage," he said after the final whistle.

"And what a manager inherits is something like the last time Manchester United won the Champions League which didn't happen a lot of times, was in 2008.

"So in seven years with four different managers, once not qualify for Europe, twice out in the group phase and the best was the quarter-final, this is football heritage and if you want to go to the Premier League, the last victory was 2012-13 and in the four consecutive seasons United finish fourth fifth, sixth and seventh."

Roma vs Sevilla, 2023

Sevilla's football heritage proved stronger than Mourinho's in the ill-tempered and supremely niggly 2023 Europa League final.

A total of 146 minutes – including 26(!) of injury time – were played out in Budapest before Sevilla triumphed on penalties, ending Mourinho's 100% record of winning European finals. No fewer than 13 bookings were dished out – seven for Roma, including Mourinho himself (naturally).

"Next year we won't be playing the Champions League and that's a good thing because we're not made for it," Mourinho told reporters in his post-match press conference.

"And let's hope that Taylor, only officiates games in the Champions League and does the same bullsh*t there that he did tonight, and not in the Europa League.

"It was an intense, vibrant game with a referee who seemed Spanish. It was yellow, yellow, yellow all the time. Today in all the dubious episodes, the yellow cards, the referee blew the whistle in favour of Sevilla."

The 60-year-old proceeded to make sure his dignity remained intact by doing his best Didier Drogba impression and chasing after Antony Taylor in the car park, yelling "It's a f*cking disgrace!".

Manchester United have stormed into the headlines after beating Olympique Lyonnais 5-4 in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League 2024-25 Quarter-finals last night, advancing to the semi-finals with a breathtaking 7-6 aggregate. 

Unbelievable.#UEL pic.twitter.com/EtpedjkEL8

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) April 17, 2025

The Red Devils also became the first-ever European team to score two goals in the 120th minute of a major European match, which completed a supernatural comeback for them at the Theatre of Dreams.

A total of 13 goals from both sides defined their destiny, as Manchester United have sealed their passage to the semis, whereas Lyon's continental journey has come to an end.

In this article, we explore the list of Europa League knockout ties for the most goals scored.

Read Also | Manchester United shortlist Lyon star Rayan Cherki as new transfer target

Most Goals in a Europa League Knockout Tie

14 Goals | Rangers 9-5 Royal Antwerp (2020/21)

Rangers earned a gloriously chaotic 9-5 aggregate win over Royal Antwerp in the Round of 32, which is still the highest-scoring two-legged tie in the UEFA Cup/Europa League knockout round.

14 - Rangers 9-5 Royal Antwerp is the highest-scoring two-legged tie in the UEFA Cup/Europa League since Helsingborgs 8-6 Heerenveen in the 2007-08 first round. Entertainment. pic.twitter.com/frch3j5pq4

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 25, 2021

Rangers defeated Antwerp 4-3 in the first leg encounter at the Bosulistadion in Belgium, securing a slender lead in the tie. The second leg turned out to be an absolute rampage as the Scottish side netted four second-half goals at the Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, winning 5-2 and securing their qualification to the next round of the competition.

13 Goals | Porto 10-3 Spartak Moskva (2010/11)

FC Porto displayed absolute domination over Spartak Moskva in the 2010-11 Europa League quarter-finals, beating them 10-3 on aggregate. 

🔵⚪ Em 2010/11, o FC Porto conquistou quatro troféus. O primeiro foi a Supertaça, com uma vitória sobre o Benfica por 2-0
⚽ Rolando e Falcao marcaram os golos
👉 https://t.co/XoxFO4DMap#FCPorto #FCPCDA #supertaça pic.twitter.com/OArowgPU3S

— FC Porto (@FCPorto) August 3, 2018

Porto, who also became the eventual champions of the edition, crushed Spartak in the very first leg at home, beating them 5-1 at Estádio do Dragão in Portugal. The second leg also saw the André Villas-Boas-coached Porto side dominating the Russian team, beating them 5-2 at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

13 Goals | Lyon 11-2 AZ Alkmaar (2016/17)

Olympique Lyonnais ran riot over AZ Alkmaar in the 2016-17 Europa League Round of 32, beating the Dutch side 11-2 over two legs.

Véritable récital offensif ce soir au @ParcOL !!
La #teamOL bat @AZAlkmaar sur le score de 7 buts à 1 !!
Direction les 8e de finale !! 👊🔴🔵 pic.twitter.com/AzRSWyXAwG

— Olympique Lyonnais (@OL) February 23, 2017

Lyon defeated AZ 4-1 in the first leg, played away at the AFAS Stadion in the Netherlands. In the return leg at OL Stadium, the French outfit went ruthless against AZ, earning a massive 7-1 victory at home.

13 Goals | Manchester United 8-5 Roma (2020/21)

Last night was not the first time that Manchester United took part in a goals galore, as they thrashed AS Roma 8-5 on aggregate in the 2020-21 UEL semi-finals.

Man United practically secured their passage to the final with a magnificent 6-2 win in the first leg, scoring five goals in the second half at Old Trafford. The next game at the Olimpico Stadium in Rome ended in a 3-2 win for Roma. However, United entered the final.

HT: Man United 1-2 Roma
88' Man United 6-2 Roma

What a come back from Man United 👏 pic.twitter.com/2XJ9tcytjl

— Football Talk (@FootballTalkHQ) April 29, 2021

This was also the last time the Red Devils qualified for a European competition final, though they lost to Villareal in a gut-wrenching penalty shoot-out.

13 Goals | Liverpool 11-2 Sparta Praha (2023/24)

Liverpool had a resounding victory over Sparta Praha, beating them 11-2 over two legs in last season's UEL Round of 16.

9 - Liverpool progressed past Sparta Prague 11-2 on aggregate; their biggest margin of victory over a two-legged tie in European football since the 1980-81 campaign against Finnish side OPS (also 11-2 on aggregate, in the European Cup first round). Cruise. pic.twitter.com/ZeTSkpEZoc

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 14, 2024

In the first leg at Stadion Letná in Prague, the Reds earned a brilliant 5-1 victory, securing a massive four-goal cushion in the tie. In the second leg at Anfield, Liverpool dismantled the Czech side, thrashing them 6-1 at home to qualify for the quarter-finals.

However, the English side's campaign ended after losing to eventual champions Atalanta in the quarters.

13 Goals | Manchester United 7-6 Lyon (2024/25)

Manchester United and Olympique Lyonnais have gifted us one of the most memorable Europa League knockout ties this season, as the Red Devils were through to the semi-finals after a knife-edge 7-6 victory over two legs in the quarter-finals.

A comeback for the ages at Old Trafford.

Manchester United, who trailed 10-man Lyon 4-2 with six minutes remaining, win 5-4 on the night and 7-6 on aggregate thanks to Harry Maguire's late winner.

Have you ever seen anything like that?

Incredible. #MUFC | #UEL pic.twitter.com/GCeIgaBmnj

— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) April 17, 2025

Rayan Cherki's last-minute strike salvaged a 2-2 draw at home for Lyon against United in the first leg played at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais in France. The return leg was absolute cinema, as Manchester United's 2-0 lead at the break was overcome by Lyon as they scored four until the break of the added extra time.

However, Kobie Mainoo and Harry Maguire netted two goals after the 120th minute to fire Manchester United into the Europa League semi-finals, winning the game by 5-4.

The Spanish League, or Laliga, is the second most-viewed football league in the world. It is regarded as one of the top five elite European leagues and has legendary clubs. Many football legends played in this league but only a few of them managed to play for a long duration and hold the record of most matches in Laliga. Here is the list of the top 11 players with the most matches in Laliga.

Top 11 players with the most matches in Laliga history:

11. Lionel Messi | FC Barcelona | 520 Matches

One of the greatest players to ever grace this sport, Lionel Messi ranks 11th in the most matches in Laliga history's list with 520 appearances.

The Argentine forward came to Spain at a very young age and played for FC Barcelona since he was a teenager. The Catalan talisman also holds the record for the most goals in Laliga, with 474 strikes.

Read Also: Lionel Messi Stats: Goals in every calendar year by Messi

10. Antoine Griezmann | FC Barcelona, Real Sociedad, Atletico Madrid | 520 Matches

Antoine Griezmann has now played 520 matches in Laliga, making him one of the players with the most matches in Laliga history.

The French international has been a pivotal player for both Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad, including his short spell in FC Barcelona. Although a player like this has never been crowned with a Laliga title, his dedication to the game has made him one of the greatest players in the league.

Read Also: Most Goals in a La Liga season - Lionel Messi leads the list

9. Manolo Sanchis | Real Madrid CF | 523 Matches

Manolo Sanchis was a Centre-back and represented Real Madrid in 523 matches, making him one of the players with the most matches in Laliga. The legendary defender won the league a total of eight times and also has two Spanish Cups in his cabinet.

8. Sergio Ramos | Real Madrid CF, Sevilla | 536 Matches

Sergio Ramos has made 536 appearances in Laliga, making him the eighth player in this list of the most matches in Laliga history.

The legendary Spanish Centre-back represented Sevilla and then Real Madrid in the competition multiple times. The former Spaniard won four UEFA Champions League titles with Real Madrid.

Read Also: Top 5 Defenders with the Most Champions League goals

7. Paco Buyo | Real Madrid, Sevilla, RCD Mallorca, RCD Coruna | 542 Matches

Paco Buyo is one of only two goalkeepers on the list who has played the most matches in Laliga history. He made 542 appearances in Laliga, turning out mostly for Real Madrid. Buyo has a special place in the club's history and won the league title six times with Real Madrid.

6. Eusebio | Real Valladolid, Celta Vigo, FC Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid | 543 Matches

Eusebio is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders, and he played his career's most matches in Laliga. The Spanish midfielder played 543 matches in Laliga, representing four clubs. Eusebio is a FC Barcelona legend, having won four titles with them. He retired from his professional career in 2002 and has since become a manager.

5. Loren Juarros | Real Sociedad, Real Burgos, Athletic Bilbao | 546 Matches

Loren Juarros is a former Spanish footballer and is known for his longevity in Laliga, having played 546 matches in the competition. Primarily a defender, he spent most of his career at Real Sociedad becoming a club legend.

His impressive appearance tally places him among the players with the most matches in Laliga. After retiring, Lorren transitioned into a sporting director role, contributing to Real Sociedad's player recruitment and development plan.

4. Raul | Real Madrid CF | 550 Matches

Raul was one of the most lethal strikers the sport has ever seen. A club legend for Real Madrid, he made over 550 matches and cemented his in the most matches in Laliga history list.

The Spaniard scored 228 goals as well during that time. He won six La Liga titles and three UEFA Champions League titles with the club. Currently, he is the manager of Real Madrid Castilla.

3. Raul Garcia | Athletic Bilbao, Atletico Madrid, CA Osasuna | 609 Matches

Raul Garcia has carved his place in football history by becoming one of the players with the most matches in Laliga, totaling an incredible 609 appearances.

The Spanish midfielder is known for his versatility and leadership. He played for CA Osasuna, Atletico Madrid, and Athletic Bilbao, leaving a lasting impact at each club. His longevity and consistency made him a key figure in Spanish football.

2. Andoni Zubizarreta | Valencia, Athletic Bilbao, Deportivo Alaves, FC Barcelona | 622 Matches

Andoni Zubizarreta made 622 appearances and is the player with the second-most matches in Laliga. The Goalkeeper extensively for Athletic Bilbao, Valencia, Deportivo Alaves, and FC Barcelona.

He won the league a total of six times, four with FC Barcelona and two with Athletic Bilbao. Zubizarreta retired from the sport in 1998. 

1. Joaquin | Real Betis, Malaga CF, and Valencia | 622 Matches

Joaquin holds the record for the most matches in Laliga, with 622 appearances throughout his career. The Spanish winger, known for his time at Real Betis, Valencia, and Malaga CF, surpassed the previous record of 622 matches held by Andoni Zubizarreta.

With Arne Slot closing on winning the Premier League in his debut season as a manager, we present you the football facts of managers to win the Premier League in their debut season. If or when Liverpool win the Premier League 2024-25 title, Arne Slot will become only the fifth manager in Premier League history to achieve the feat. 

Here are the managers to win the Premier League title in their debut season in the league. Please note we have not included Claudio Ranieri's name for winning the title with Leicester City in 2015-16, because he had already managed Chelsea from 2000 to 2004. 

Managers to win Premier League in their debut season

Jose Mourinho | 2004-05

That is why he is the special one. Jose Mourinho came the Chelsea after winning the Champions League with Porto and created history right after that. In the 2004-05 season, Mourinho arrived at Chelsea with a champion mindset and started the season with a bang by beating Manchester United in his first game at the helm. 

With John Terry as the leader of the pack, young Peter Chech between the goals and players like Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, Mourinho took Chelsea to Premier League success with the then-record highest point of a season (95). 

However, that team still holds the Premier League record for conceding the least goals in a season (15) and most clean sheets in a season (25).

Read Also | Top 10 highest scoring midfielders in the 21st century: Football facts

Carlo Ancelotti | 2009-10

One of the greatest football managers of the generation, Carlo Ancelotti arrived in the Premier League and was able to replicate what Mourinho had done in his debut season. 

While Mourinho had made them solid in defence, the team started to fall apart during his latter years. After a few failures by the next managers, Ancelotti took the responsibility to bring the silverware back to Stamford Bridge. 

Ancelotti unleashed a ruthless attacking mindset within the team which resulted in Chelsea creating the records for most goals scored in a Premier League season (103),  most goals scored at home in a season (68), and winning the league with the best goal difference in a season (71).

Didier Drogba scored 29 goals in the Premier League for them. Frank Lampard also showed his class with 22 league goals that season.

Read Also | Managers with the Most Wins in UCL History

Manuel Pellegrini | 2013-14

Pellegrini led Manchester City to their second-ever Premier League in his debut season as the head coach at Etihad Stadium. After the success of Roberto Mancini just two seasons ago, where we saw Sergio Aguero creating history for them, Pellegrini took City back to the top. 

Yaya Toure with 20 goals led them in front as they scored more than 100 goals in a season for the first time in their history. Eden Dzeko with 16 goals and Sergio Aguero with 17 also were the stars for the Blues.

They won the league two points clear of runners-up Liverpool, who had earned 84 points.

Antonio Conte | 2016-17

Roman Ibrahimbovic somehow was always right with appointing coaches at the right time. Antonio Conte joined Chelsea during the mid-season after Guus Hiddink handled the team as interim coach. 

Conte formed a fluid 3-4-2-1 system and with the team already out of the European title race, he had only one thing to focus on. In a season which he called "a Mourinho season”, Chelesea created history by winning 13 straight league games in a row, an equal record for any English top-flight team to enter this special list of football facts.

Conte went on to win the Premier League Manager of the Month Award for October, November and December months. No manager had won the award in three consecutive months before him. 

Chelsea with 93 points won the Premier League as Conte became the third Chelsea coach to win the league in his debut season. 

Spanish Super Cup, popularly known as the "Copa del Rey" is the most prestigious Cup competition in Spain. Here is the list of the Past 10 Winners of the most elite title in the history of Spain:

2025 Spanish Cup Winner- Barcelona 

Barcelona lift 2025 Spanish Super Cup after thrashing Real Madrid in thriller for 15th time.

Read Also | Barcelona vs Real Madrid Spanish Super Cup Final | 10-men Barcelona outclass Madrid by 5-2 to win their 15th Spanish Super Cup

Barcelona came from an early goal down to beat Real Madrid 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday, scoring four goals in a dominant first half and surviving having their goalkeeper sent off to clinch a record-extending 15th trophy. 

📸 - SPANISH SUPERCUP CHAMPIONS:

FC BARCELONA! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 pic.twitter.com/6BE8lAi9tt

— TheEuropeanLad (@TheEuropeanLad) January 12, 2025

🎙️ ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI: "It doesn't matter who we are playing, it doesn't matter where we are playing, we always want to win." #ElClásico pic.twitter.com/qgwoGUmk5c

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 13, 2025

2024 Spanish Super Cup Winner- Athletic Bilbao

Athletic Bilbao defeated Mallorca 4-2 in the penalty shootout, after a 1-1 draw following extra time, to claim their 24th Spanish Super Cup title to recover their 40-year absence from major trophy success after reaching the final for the 40th time. 

Read Also | Real Madrid become the Spanish Super Cup champions for the record. 13 time #elclasico #shorts

The last time they won the Spanish  Super Cup was way back in 1984.

2023 Spanish Super Cup Winner- Real Madrid

Real Madrid won the 2023 Spanish Super Cup by beating Osasuna 2-1 on May 6, 2023, at the Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville. They won the Spanish Super Cup for the 20th time. 

Read Also | Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid Spanish Super Cup semi-final highlights: Real Madrid defeat Atletico 5-3 after an epic battle

Real Madrid participated in their first final since 2014, but finally, they tasted victory in the 121st edition of Spain's premier football cup.

2022 Spanish Super Cup Winner- Real Betis

On 23rd April, Real Betis won the 2022 Spanish Super Cup by beating Valencia 5-4 in a penalty shootout after the match concluded in a 1-1 draw following extra time at La Cartuja in Seville.

Read Also | Spanish Super Cup 2024: All the winners since 1982

This is the 3rd Spanish Super Cup title for Real Betis.

2021 Spanish Super Cup Winner- Barcelona 

Barcelona won the 2021 Spanish Super Cup by beating Athletic Bilbao 4-0 at the Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville. It was the 119th edition of the Spanish Super Cup, which includes two seasons featuring rival editions. This was Barcelona's 14th Spanish Cup title.

Read Also | Barcelona vs Osasuna Spanish Super Cup 2024 2nd Semi-final Highlights | Barcelona pip over Osasuna to set up an El-Clasico final on Sunday

2020 Spanish Super Cup Winner- Real Sociedad

Real Sociedad won the 2020 Spanish Super Cup by beating Atletic Bilbao 1-0 with a penalty netted by Mikel Oyarzabal in the second half.

Read Also| Barcelona vs Real Madrid: Spanish Super Cup – Semi-Final: Match Prediction, Team News, Lineups, and Dream11 Prediction

It was the 2nd Spanish Super Cup for Real Sociedad to recover their 34-year absence from major trophy success. Sociedad won last in wayback 1987.

2019 Spanish Super Cup Winner- Valencia

The 2019 Spanish Super Cup was won by Valencia by beating Barcelona 2-1, at the Estadio Benito Villamarín in Seville. Valencia finally ended their trophy drought by securing their 8th title overall since 2008 at the 117th edition of the Spanish Super Cup.

Read Also | Mallorca 1-5 FC Barcelona: Barcelona are back to winning ways in La Liga after three games 

2018 Spanish Super Cup Winner- Barcelona

Barcelona won the 2018 Spanish Super Cup by beating Sevilla 5-0 on 21st April 2018 at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid. Barcelona defeated Sevilla 5-0 and secured their 4th consecutive title in the following calendar and their 13th overall in the history of the Spanish Super Cup.

Read Also | Barcelona and Lamine Yamal are reportedly on verge of a contract extension

2017 Spanish Super Cup Winner- Barcelona

The 2017, Barcelona were the two-time defending champions and successfully defended Spanish Super Cup following a 3–1 win over Alavés in the final.

Read Also | Most Goals in a La Liga season - Lionel Messi leads the list

As winners, Barcelona would have been assured a place for the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League group stage. However, since they already qualified for the Champions League by finishing 2nd in La Liga, the berth was instead passed down the league. 

2016 Spanish Super Cup Winner- Barcelona

The 2016 Spanish Super Cup final was a football match played on 22 May 2016 to decide the winner of the 2015–16 Spanish Super Cup, the 114th edition of Spain's premier football cup since its establishment. It was played at the Vicente Calderón Stadium in Madrid.

Read Also | Andres Iniesta: Who has won the most trophies for FC Barcelona?

It was won by defending champions Barcelona, who defeated Sevilla 2–0 after extra time to achieve their 28th title. Andrés Iniesta was named man of the match despite Lionel Messi's two assists in both of Barcelona's goals.

List of Past 10 Winners of Spanish Super Cup

So, that concludes the overall stats and list of the past 10 Spanish Super Cup Winners. The list states that Barcelona clearly dominated in the past 10 years in terms of the Spanish Super Cup, as they won 4 times out of six. What do you think? Which is your favorite player from the list above? Let me know and follow Sportz Point for more exciting news and articles.

Jose Mourinho, often considered one of the greatest managers ever in football, has hinted at his desire to take up the mantle of coaching a national side in future before his retirement.

In an interview with Corriere dello Sport, the 61-year-old Portuguese expressed his desire which is the only thing he has not done yet in his illustrious career; managing a national team. 

Mourinho: "Quero jogar um Europeu ou um Mundial e unir um país em torno de uma equipa, como já fiz muitas vezes com os clubes" 🚨

"Quero fazê-lo pelo futebol e pelo que este desporto representa. Vai ser incrível!" 👀

Via: @CorSport pic.twitter.com/7AaFHpSnPT

— Cabine Desportiva (@CabineSport) December 31, 2024

Having managed elite European clubs such as Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham, and AS Roma; Mourinho is currently in charge as the head coach of the Turkish side Fenerbahce since June 2024. 

"I want to do this for football"

In an exclusive interview with Corriere dello Sport, Mourinho said that he wants to manage a national side as he wants to "do this for football". He stated:

Yes. I want to play a European Championship or a World Cup, to unite a country around its national team in the same way I have managed so many times with clubs and fans. I want to do it for football, for what this sport represents. It will be incredible.

Before joining Fenerbahce, Mourinho managed AS Roma, where he won the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League and lost on penalties against Sevilla in the UEFA Europa League final in the following season. He was sacked in January 2024.

However, Mourinho expressed that he takes more interest in Inter Milan where he won two Scudettos and one Champions League from 2008 to 2010. 

I haven't seen Roma play anymore. Inter, yes!

Mourinho also addressed that he had to refuse Florentino Perez as he decided to re-join Chelsea in 2013. He said the following when questioned if he has any regrets in his career:

If you're referring to professional choices, the no to Florentino. He told me 'Mou, don't leave now, you've done the hard part and the good part is yet to come... I knew it would be like this, but I wanted to return to Chelsea after three years in Spain of great struggles...

Mourinho has won almost every possible trophy during his 23-year-long managerial career. Now, he has set his eyes on an international accolade with a national side.

Previously, in an interview with beIN Sports in 2019, Mourinho showed his interest in coaching a national team. In that interview, he said:

I want to compete in new competitions, I think about the World Cup and the European Championships. For a long time, I have the desire to try such an adventure, because right now, I see myself more with a national team than a new club

Mourinho admits he would love to coach an international side... but not just yet.#beINMourinho #beINAFC #AsianCup2019 pic.twitter.com/52jxgYQnv3

— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) January 17, 2019

Earlier in 2024, Mourinho also told renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano that he may coach a national side in future. He affirmed:

To coach a national team is an objective for me. 

Maybe right before World Cup, Euros or the Copa America, African Cup… I can, yes. 

But waiting two years for that, I don’t know!

Maybe one day it will happen.