2 min readAug 10, 2026 01:44 PM IST
Jose Mourinho led Manchester United 2016 to 2019 but the Portuguese coach has now revealed that he had signed up to lead the Premier League giants much earlier than that, at a crucial stage of the club’s history. Mourinho was the third manager to lead United after their legendary manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. The former has now said that he had initially “signed with” United to take over right after Ferguson’s departure.
Mourinho, who had coached Real Madrid in La Liga from 2010 to 2013, eventually returned to the Premier League in the latter year for a second stint at the helm at Chelsea. “I go to Chelsea in 2013 but in that period there is something nobody knows,” the Portuguese said in a documentary, which is titled Mourinho, on Netflix. “I think I can say because I don’t hurt anyone with the truth, and I think the objective of this work that we are doing is to tell the truth. When I left Real Madrid, I signed with Manchester United to go to Manchester United after Sir Alex.”
“I was, of course, very flattered, because Manchester United has an incredible appeal. When I say Real Madrid is the biggest club in the world, I have to say that Manchester United is very, very close.
“But one thing is love for football, and another thing is love for a certain club. I think this is more powerful than love for football and, fundamentally, after Real Madrid, I needed to feel that I’m loved.”
The documentary also features interviews with Ferguson who said that he had been told tearfully by Mourinho that he could no longer accept the Manchester United job as he had given his word to Chelsea that he would return to Stamford Bridge. “Early evening he phoned me and he was crying,” Ferguson said. “And he says: ‘Alex, I can’t take it – I’ve given my word to Chelsea, and I’m not going to break my word.’ The reason he gave to me I could understand, but I was disappointed.”
