Ranking the 5 greatest players coached by Jose Mourinho
Despite his high-profile struggles with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, Jose Mourinho remains one of the most successful managers in world football. The "Special One" has won 25 major trophies in his coaching career and is acknowledged as one of the most influential head coaches of the 21st century.
With stints at Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham and Roma, Mourinho has never been one to shy away from a tough job. The Portuguese manager has eight league titles and two UEFA Champions League crowns to his name and has lived up to his tag of a "serial winner."
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Josรจ #Mourinhoโs 100th #SerieA๐ game as a manager! ๐๐ป
#WeAreCalcio https://t.co/00ZFD5zuzG
Are Jose Mourinho's tactics outdated?
While it is impossible to deny the greatness of his past achievements, it is true that Mourinho has failed to meet his own lofty standards in recent years.
An ugly and confrontational end to his time at Old Trafford was followed by a disappointing return to London with Spurs. A bright start to life at Roma suggested a comeback might be on but the Italian side's form has dropped off a cliff in recent months.
As Mourinho continues to grapple with European football's rapidly evolving game, we look at the five greatest players who have been coached by the Portuguese:
(Honorable mentions: Sergio Ramos, Petr Cech, Ricardo Carvalho, Javier Zanetti, Diego Milito, Maicon, Michael Essien, Angel Di Maria, Mesut Ozil.)
#5 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Legendary Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has linked up with Jose Mourinho on two separate occasions. The first instance was at Inter Milan in 2008 and lasted just one season. It was followed by a reunion at Manchester United between 2016 and 2018.
Josรฉ Mourinho on Zlatan Ibrahimoviฤ:
๐ฃ "A football player with 40 years, of course doesn't have the same potential that he had when he was 30 or 20. Unless you are Zlatan, he is better year after year." https://t.co/rIa1NV8gSO
Ibrahimovic has played 100 games under the Portuguese boss, scoring 58 goals and providing 21 assists. Together, they won a Serie A title, an Italian Super Cup, the EFL League Cup and a UEFA Europa League trophy.
The striker has not held back in his praise for Mourinho in the past. In his autobiography, "I Am Zlatan Ibrahimovic, he wrote:
"Jose Mourinho is a big star. He would become a guy I was basically willing to die for. I was doing totally amazing things, but Mourinho had a face like a wet weekend. One way or another, I was going to make that man cheer. It happened, but only once we had won three titles and I was top goalscorer. If Mourinho lights up the room, Guardiola draws the curtains."
#4 John Terry
Jose Mourinho and John Terry formed a strong bond at Chelsea across two different spells. The manager chose the centre-back as his team captain when he first arrived in London from Porto in 2004. The England international would go on to play 266 games for Mourinho, while establishing himself as one of the greatest defenders of his generation.
Josรฉ Mourinho's 2004/05 Chelsea side set the record for fewest goals conceded in a single Premier League season.
15 goals conceded in 38 games is obscene. ๐ณ https://t.co/NwQL31UjUq
Terry was at the heart of Chelsea's unbelievable defensive record in their title-winning 2004-05 season. The Blues conceded just 15 goals and lost only once in 38 games en route to the Premier League crown. It remains the best defensive season in the history of English football's top-flight.
With the help of Terry and Ricardo Carvalho's formidable defensive pairing, Mourinho would go 86 straight games unbeaten at home.
Terry and Mourinho have won eight trophies together, including three Premier League titles, three League Cups, an FA Cup and a Community Shield.