José Mourinho stands on the brink of a unique piece of European football history. The Portuguese coach, already a two-time Champions League winner with Porto and Inter Milan, now has the opportunity to become the first manager ever to lift the trophy with three different clubs. His current side, Real Madrid, begins its campaign against Inter at the Santiago Bernabéu, setting the stage for a potential landmark achievement.
A Select Group of Elite Coaches
Mourinho already belongs to an exclusive club of managers who have guided two different teams to European glory. This list includes Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid and AC Milan), Pep Guardiola (Barcelona and Manchester City), Ernst Happel (Feyenoord and Hamburg), Ottmar Hitzfeld (Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich), and Jupp Heynckes (Real Madrid and Bayern Munich). Winning with a third club would place Mourinho alone at the top of this distinguished group.
Road to the Top: Porto and Inter
Mourinho’s first Champions League triumph came in 2004 with Porto, a surprise victory that announced his arrival on the continental stage. He repeated the feat in 2010 with Inter Milan, completing a treble that captured the imagination of the football world. That success with Inter convinced Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez to bring Mourinho to the Spanish capital, where he now seeks to add another chapter to his already storied career.
Near Misses in Madrid
During his previous stint at Real Madrid, Mourinho came close to reaching the Champions League final on three consecutive occasions. However, his team fell short against Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund in 2011, 2012, and 2013 respectively. These near misses have only intensified his desire to succeed with the club, and he now has a chance to turn past disappointments into a historic achievement.
Impressive Champions League Record
Mourinho’s pedigree in the competition is backed by impressive numbers. He has managed 153 Champions League matches, securing 80 victories, which places him fifth on the all-time list for most games coached. Only Arsène Wenger, Pep Guardiola, Sir Alex Ferguson, and Carlo Ancelotti have managed more. His win rate of 52% is surpassed only by Ancelotti (56%) and Guardiola (62%) among this elite group.
A Chance to Close the Circle
Now, 17 years after his first European triumph, Mourinho has the opportunity to close the circle with Real Madrid. A successful campaign would not only erase the memory of his earlier failures with the club but also etch his name in the record books as the first manager to win the Champions League with three different teams. The challenge is daunting, but for a coach who has built his career on defying expectations, it is far from impossible.