Few football managers have been box office material quite like Jose Mourinho.
From his early days at Porto to his high-profile stints at Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Tottenham, the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ has enjoyed immense success. His career has seen him win domestic league titles in Portugal, England, Italy, and Spain, while his Champions League wins with Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan in 2010 cemented his reputation as one of the best in the business.
However, Mourinho’s tenures often end in acrimony, with boardroom disputes and dressing-room fallouts becoming a recurring theme, with his career punctuated by dramatic exits, public clashes and controversy. Now managing Fenerbahce, Mourinho continues to remain an impactful presence on the touchline, but tension is never too far away.
Football is certainly never dull when Mourinho is around. Here’s a look at some of his biggest moments, his latest disputes and his life away from the field.
Clashes, controversy and chaos
Mourinho’s career is as much about his off-field theatrics as his tactical genius. His infamous “Respect, respect, respect” outburst in a Manchester United press conference and his heated touchline clashes have become part of his iconic status, along with the night he snuck into Chelsea’s dressing room in a laundry basket to deliver a team talk while banned from entering by UEFA.
He has had bitter feuds with fellow managers, such as Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola, adding spice to their crunch showdowns. Mourinho also once poked then-Barcelona assistant Tito Vilanova in the eye during a hot-tempered El Clasico.
In a recent Istanbul derby against Galatasaray – which Fenerbahce lost 3-1 – Mourinho suffered one of his most humiliating moments as his opponents mocked him on social media with a fake book cover titled ‘The Crying One’ – a play on his ‘Special One’ moniker.
The club also posted an image captioned ‘The Winning One,’ featuring their manager Okan Buruk in focus, while Mourinho appeared blurred in the background. Mourinho’s response was characteristically fiery when a journalist presented him with the meme post-match, he snapped, “Are you serious or are you joking? Are you sure you are a journalist?” before walking away from his press duties. It would not be the first nor the last time Mourinho would clash with the media.
His relationships with players have also been turbulent. From benching high-profile stars to publicly criticising squad members, Mourinho’s man-management style often divides opinion. While some players thrive under his leadership, others have found themselves sidelined.
Referee outrage
Mourinho’s frustration with Turkish refereeing reached new heights recently, following Fenerbahce’s 3-2 win over Trabzonspor. The Portuguese coach launched a furious attack on VAR official Atilla Karaoglan, accusing him of neglecting crucial moments in the match while “drinking tea.”
Trabzonspor were awarded two penalties via VAR decisions, while Fenerbahce had late penalty claims ignored. Mourinho was furious when a challenge on Bright Osayi-Samuel went unpunished, claiming he was misled about the refereeing standards in Turkey.
“I blame the Fenerbahce people that brought me here. They told me only half of the truth. If they told me the whole truth, I wouldn’t have come,” ranted Mourinho.
He further demanded that Karaoglan never officiate a Fenerbahce match again, questioning the fairness of officiating in Turkey, saying: “Today, the man of the match was VAR referee Atilla Karaoglan. We don’t want him again because it smells bad. We don’t want him on the pitch but on the VAR even less.”
He further added: “We play against a system. And that is the most difficult thing.” For this comment, which the Turkish Football Federation deemed as unsportsmanlike, he was slapped with a fine of £20,178.
It’s not the first time Mourinho has expressed his anger at officials – as English referee Anthony Taylor found out after Mourinho’s Roma were beaten on penalties by Sevilla in the 2023 Europa League final. Mourinho claimed Taylor “seemed Spanish” in his post-match interview and directed an X-rated rant at the official in the car park where he labelled his performance a “disgrace” – behaviour which landed him with a four-match ban.
Personal fortune
Mourinho’s financial success mirrors his on-field achievements. His managerial contracts and lucrative severance packages have contributed to an estimated net worth exceeding £100million.
He received a £15million payout from Tottenham after being sacked in 2021 – just 17 months into his tenure. Chelsea reportedly paid him £12.5m in severance in 2015 – seven months after leading them to the Premier League title and just a few months after his high-profile dispute with first-team doctor Eva Carneiro which ended up in court.
His time in English football alone saw him earn nearly £98m from salary alone. At Fenerbahce, he currently earns a reported £8.75m per season, a reduction from his Premier League days but still a substantial figure. He has also left the door open to a money-spinning move to Saudi Arabia, admitting in 2023 that he was “convinced” he would one day work in the Saudi Pro League, adding: “No one knows the future, but I will definitely do this [work in Saudi Arabia].”
Mourinho has also enjoyed several successful commercial deals with brands such as Adidas , Hublot, Audi, Samsung, and American Express, which have all added a nice boost to his bank balance.
Long-lasting marriage
Mourinho has been married to Matilde Faria for 35 years. The couple met in their hometown of Setubal, Portugal, and tied the knot in 1989. They have two children together: Matilde, born in 1996, and Jose Mario Jr, born in 2000. His wife helped in shaping his career decisions.
In 2014, she reportedly advised him against accepting the England national team job, arguing that he was better suited to club management. Mourinho later admitted she was right, conceding that waiting two years for a major tournament would not have suited him.
Mourinho’s son, Jose Mario Jr, once pursued a career as a goalkeeper. He spent three years in Fulham ’s academy before being released in 2017. Despite stepping away from playing, he has expressed interest in coaching, much like his father.
During Mourinho’s time at Manchester United, he allowed his son to observe matches and provide tactical analysis. Mourinho once joked that his assistants should be wary, as his son might take one of their jobs in the future.
