SUMMARY
- Jose Mourinho revealed his awareness of the approaching end to his soccer managerial career at the Quinas de Ouro event in 2022.
- Mourinho's recent managerial stints have been marked by struggles, leading to sackings from each of his last four clubs.
Jose Mourinho has been one of the most influential managers in soccer history. ‘The Special One‘ as he is famously known, has revolutionized the sport with his tactics and management styles. During his illustrious career that spanned over 2 decades, the Portuguese manager has conquered every league that he has managed. A serial winner, Jose Mourinho has 2 Champions League and 3 Premier Leagues amongst many other honors to his name.
jose mourinho – i think i am a special one pic.twitter.com/TJGN0zcMGd
— yes context video tayfa (@TayfayaVideo) May 25, 2022
However, it is safe to say that the 61-year-old has reached the twilight of his career. This has become ever so evident after getting sacked at Serie A club AS Roma in 2024.
Jose Mourinho admitted in 2022 that he was retiring soon
In 2022, Jose Mourinho spoke about his retirement plans in the Quinas de Ouro event. ‘The Special One’ reportedly still felt strong enough to continue with his managerial ambitions. However, he admitted that his days in soccer are numbered.
He said, (via The Mirror), “I like winning, I hate losing – nothing has changed. The colour of my hair, yes, even the wrinkles, but I want to go on. Not for another 22 years, as there is no time, but for a few more years.”
Jose Mourinho is the only manager to of won all 5 of these trophies. pic.twitter.com/psOsDUad8g
— Frank Khalid OBE (@FrankKhalidUK) January 25, 2023
The former Manchester United manager admitted about his passion for winning which is still unchanged after many years. However, his body has started to show signs of old age as he has started developing wrinkles and his hair has started turning white. Jose wants to give his all at soccer, before bidding farewell to the sport.
The rumors of the Portuguese retiring have gained traction after his recent failures in management. Each of his last 4 clubs has sacked Jose due to poor results. However, if his words are to be believed the sacking from AS Roma is what stung him the most.
Jose was left devastated after getting sacked from AS Roma
The Special One joined “I Giallorossi” ahead of the 21/22 season after a stint at Tottenham Hotspur. Jose Mourinho quickly became a fan favorite and was often revered in the Italian capital. Jose stuck with the team during its highs and lows and according to him gave his all to the club. With the Portuguese manager, AS Roma won the first European trophy in the form of the UEFA Conference League 21/22 title.
However, the relationship between AS Roma and Jose Mourinho soon turned sour. After, a poor run of results “I Giallorossi” decided to fire its beloved manager in January 2024. This decision reportedly left the former Chelsea manager very devastated.
🟡🔴 José Mourinho: “Being sacked by AS Roma is the one that has been hurting me more. I gave everything”, told @FIVEUK.
🇵🇹 “In these three years, I refused to become new Portugal head coach with the best national team ever!”.
🇸🇦 “I also had a big proposal from Saudi Arabia”. pic.twitter.com/t0VE7XuL9G
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 15, 2024
He said, “Roma’s dismissal was the one that hurt me the most in all of my career.” Jose Mourinho wanted to see more success with the Italian outfit before his acrimonious departure. The 61-year-old went to extreme limits to continue being the manager of AS Roma rejected big-money moves from Saudi Arabia and also turned down an opportunity to coach the Portuguese National Team.
Jose’s career in the recent past has not gone according to his plan. He is still without a club and waiting for a suitable offer. The Portuguese might fancy a couple of managerial jobs, before calling it a day.