“Difficult childhood, no education” - When Jose Mourinho hit back at Cristiano Ronaldo for saying ex-Chelsea boss can’t admit his own failures
Back in 2007, when Cristiano Ronaldo was still a youngster with Manchester United, he had a spat with Jose Mourinho, Chelsea's boss at the time. The two eventually worked together, albeit with a few problems, while they were at Real Madrid.
However, before the highly publicized issues that they had at the Santiago Bernabeu, their first spat notably came in the Premier League. Ronaldo had helped the Red Devils win the league title that season, beating the Blues by six points.
During that season, Cristiano Ronaldo discussed Jose Mourinho, saying that the Chelsea manager "does not know how to admit his own failures". His Portuguese compatriot didn't take it kindly, calling the then-Manchester United forward a liar before adding (via Sky Sports):
"It's a game where a kid had some statements not very… not showing maturity and respect, maybe difficult childhood, no education, maybe the consequence of that. Sir Alex felt he had to protect his boy. But normal things… I have no problems with him (Ferguson). I have no problem with the boy.”
They would go on to have problems at Real Madrid, though, with Ronaldo openly questioning Mourinho's tactics.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho constantly clashed in Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo went on to become a legend at Real Madrid, where he scored a stunning 450 goals, the most of any player to wear the Los Blancos jersey. However, he didn't have an easy time with Jose Mourinho as manager.
The Portuguese icon lashed out at the manager's defensive style of play at the Bernabeu, revealing that he did not like it. Mourinho retaliated by leaving the forward on the bench in their next match.
Things soon worsened, with the duo nearly taking on each other in a physical fight, according to football expert Guillem Balague (via Sky Sports). When the manager's position at the club began to shake, Ronaldo said, "it doesn't matter to me."
After Jose Mourinho was sacked in 2013, he spoke about Cristiano Ronaldo on Spanish TV, saying (via Sky Sports):
"I had only one problem with him, very simple, very basic, which was when a coach criticises a player from a tactical viewpoint trying to improve what, in my view, could have been improved.
"At that moment, he didn't take it very well because maybe he thinks he knows everything and the coach cannot help him develop further."
The duo have not worked together since, and with Ronaldo now 39 in Saudi Arabia and Mourinho managing in Turkey, their paths are unlikely to cross again.