SUMMARY
- FC Porto's Champions League win is often overlooked, showcasing why Mourinho is called 'The Special One.'
- Jose Mourinho arrived in 2002 and started working on his plan immediately.
FC Porto, the pioneer of Portuguese soccer, is regarded as one of the underdogs in the world of soccer over the years. The 30-time Portuguese league winners have etched their names on European trophies multiple times. Also known for their iconic blue and white stripes, FC Porto’s impact extends far beyond the boundaries of the Estadio do Dragao.
The story behind FC Porto’s rise to soccer stardom won’t be complete without the mention of an iconic partnership with a company for years. Revigres, a leading Portuguese ceramic tile manufacturer, was in a deal with the Portuguese club for multiple years.
FC Porto 1990 Football shirt #classicfootballshirt #FCPorto #trefoil #revigres #vintagefashion pic.twitter.com/fQQ0u4nGgI
— buysellfootballshirts.co.uk (@footymerch) March 14, 2018
FC Porto, which was sponsored by Adidas in 1975, was the club’s first-ever sports apparel manufacturer to provide kits for the club. Eight years later, the club signed a deal with Revigres worth 10 million escudos (Portugal’s formerly accepted currency), which was valued at $99,000 at the time. Signing with Revigres was the best thing to have happened to the club in those years. In a way, the deal brought all the glory years back to the streets of Porto.
Revigres became the first-ever shirt sponsor of any Portuguese club back then. The deal, which almost lasted for 20 years until 2004, remains one of the longest-serving collaborations in the history of soccer.
How did Jose Mourinho shape FC Porto’s path to greatness?
It’s simply amazing how FC Porto’s UEFA Champions League-winning campaign doesn’t get talked about much. And whoever witnessed it surely witnessed why Jose Mourinho gets referred to as ‘The Special One.’
Upon his arrival in 2002, Mourinho wasted no time instilling a winning mentality in the squad. The result was followed a year later when FC Porto went on to win the UEFA Champions League title against all odds. Mourinho’s 4-4-2 tactical blueprint immediately established his identity as one of the best managers in the business.
The fact Jose Mourinho won the Champions League with this team is still a madness. What a coach! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Qrg54ihN7f
— Football Factly (@FootballFactly) March 3, 2024
With a limited budget, Mourinho transformed FC Porto into one of the superpowers in European soccer in no time. What Mourinho was best at was buying undervalued players and helping them reach their ultimate potential. Mourinho’s reign at the Portuguese club saw the arrival of Bosingwa, Carlos Alberto, Benni McCarthy, and many more, who later went on to become big names across Europe.
During his time at the club, the special one won two league titles, one domestic cup, one Portuguese Super Cup, one UEFA Champions League, and one UEFA Super Cup. And after winning the biggest prize in Europe, he went to try his fortune elsewhere when he signed for Chelsea in 2004.
Current sponsors of FC Porto
FC Porto’s iconic deal with Revigres came to an end in 2004 after the company served 20 years with the club. The club’s primary kit sponsor right now is New Balance. They replaced Nike in 2015 and currently have a contract until the 2024–25 season.
New Balance × Porto pic.twitter.com/koiDaYRCB7
— Boş Kale Blogs (@BlogsBos) February 21, 2021
Last year, New Balance announced a landmark global sponsorship deal with FC Porto on the occasion of the club’s 130th anniversary. The new deal sees FC Porto move from a European partner to a global partner.