Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and more: Ex-Chelsea and Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho names some of his best-ever players
Former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has named Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic among the best players he has managed.
Mourinho, currently at Serie A side AS Roma, has managed at some of the top clubs in the world, like Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Inter Milan. In the process, he has managed some of the best players to have graced the beautiful game.
Ronaldo and Ibrahimovic are two of them, being prolific scorers for club and country. The Portuguese is still going strong with his current club side Al-Nassr and Portugal, while Ibrahimovic called time on his career this summer.
As per Obione podcast, Mourinho said about the best players he has managed in his two-decade career:
“It is the kind of question I refuse to answer. It is something I always refuse to do it. Every player that gave me the blood, sweat and soul, is one of my favourite players. When people ask me my best player, Drogba, Cristiano, Ibrahimovic - I can’t do it.” (via @obionepodcast)
Apart from Ronaldo - whom he managed at Real Madrid - and Ibrahimovic - who Mourinho managed at Inter Milan and Manchester United.
How did Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic fare under Jose Mourinho?
Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic both played at least 100 games under Jose Mourinho.
Ronaldo played 164 times across competitions for his compatriot at Real Madrid, bagging a rich haul of 168 goals and 49 assists in 164 games across competitions during the 2010-11 to 2012-13 seasons. The duo won the 2011-12 La Liga title, ending Barcelona's four-peat bid.
The Al-Nassr attacker's most prolific season under Mourinho was in 2011-12, where he contributed a stunning 60 goals and 17 assists in 55 games across competitions.
Meanwhile, Ibrahimovic featured exactly 100 times across competitions under Jose Mourinho, bagging 58 goals and 23 assists. That includes 29 goals apiece at both Manchester United (2016-17 to 2017-18) and Inter Milan (2008-09).
His most prolific season under Mourinho was the lone season at Inter, with Ibra bagging 29 goals and 12 assists in 39 games across competitions.