Istanbul — Jose Mourinho, never one to keep his thoughts to himself, has reignited two of his longest-running football rivalries with Chelsea and Pep Guardiola in a biting post-tournament interview that has already set the sports world talking.
Speaking days after the Club World Cup concluded, the Portuguese manager, now in charge of Turkish side Fenerbahce, questioned Guardiola’s long-standing tactics and dismissed Chelsea’s participation in the global tournament as more commercial than competitive.
“If you die with your idea, you’re stupid,” Mourinho said in an interview with Turkish media. “Coaches must adapt. Playing from the back with a wooden goalkeeper is tough.”
It was a direct jab at Guardiola’s trademark possession-based style and his evolving choices in goalkeepers from Joe Hart to Claudio Bravo to Ederson during his time at Manchester City and Barcelona.
The two managers, whose rivalry peaked during their time at Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively, have kept their tension simmering for more than a decade. Mourinho’s remarks suggest little has changed.
Turning to Chelsea, a club he once led to Premier League glory, Mourinho showed little sentiment. Despite the Blues reaching the Club World Cup final where they beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 he downplayed the achievement.
“This World Cup title only matters for Chelsea because they’ll sell a lot of jerseys with the logo,” he said, suggesting the London club were chasing branding opportunities rather than genuine sporting goals.
Yet he praised their final opponents, Paris Saint-Germain, despite their defeat. Mourinho described PSG as the “real winners” for their Champions League success earlier in the season a commanding 5-0 victory over Inter Milan, achieved even after the departure of their star player.
Back in Turkey, Mourinho’s own club is making headlines. Reports suggest Fenerbahce are preparing a €40 million (KSh 6.07 billion) bid for Victor Boniface, the Nigerian striker currently at Bayer Leverkusen. If successful, it would mark the club’s most expensive signing.
That deal could soon be dwarfed by rival side Galatasaray, who are reportedly pursuing Victor Osimhen, whose €75 million (KSh 11.38 billion) release clause could soon be triggered.
As ever, Mourinho remains a central figure in global football sometimes for the teams he manages, but more often for the sharpness of his tongue.
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