SUMMARY
- Mourinho reveals his coaching approach with Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Mourinho emphasizes Messi's innate talent, stating coaching Messi is unnecessary.
Jose Mourinho is one of the biggest managerial names in European soccer. He has won numerous trophies, managed the biggest clubs, and coached some of the biggest soccer players of the 21st century. The Special One has always been vocal about his coaching method throughout his career.
Jose Mourinho recently sat down with Manchester United legend, Rio Ferdinand, for an interview for the FIVE YouTube channel. In the interview, Mourinho was asked again about his coaching philosophy and how he coached Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the biggest player he has ever managed in his entire career.
Jose Mourinho on coaching Cristiano Ronaldo
Mourinho started his response by stating: “I think you don’t coach [him]. You don’t teach much, it’s about being happy and it’s about creating an environment from the tactical point of view, from the ideas of football, where the player can show.”
🚨 Jose Mourinho:
Was there anything you could teach Cristiano Ronaldo when you were his coach?
“I don’t think so, he doesn’t need it.”
— CristianoXtra (@CristianoXtra_) February 15, 2024
The Portuguese manager explained that Real Madrid was a transition for Ronaldo from being a pure left-winger to being a striker. He explained that you don’t need to provide any motivation, technique, and ambition to Ronaldo. You make some tactical adjustments and let the guy be happy.
The whole explanation from Mourinho can be boiled down to a single statement that Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t need to be coached. This statement from Mourinho draws a parallel between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the Portuguese manager has something similar to say for the Argentine winger.
Jose Mourinho on coaching Lionel Messi
Mourinho recently gave an interview to a YouTuber, Ohm, in which he talked candidly about multiple topics. One of the topics in the interview involved Lionel Messi. Jose Mourinho was asked which player he wished he could have coached in his career.
Mourinho responded by stating: “One in particular? I don’t have a player, I can tell you. Messi has never needed a coach. Who tells you ‘I coached Messi’?. It’s absurd. Messi knows everything, he was born with everything. You can only say that I had the honor of having trained him.”
Mourinho was animated when he talked about Messi in this answer. The response was similar in that players like Messi don’t need to coach, but you need to manage the surroundings around these one-of-a-kind players so that they can perform at their best.
Mourinho has revealed his desire to train him with this answer. The wish of the Portuguese manager might come true if Inter Miami decided to replace Tata Martino with Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese manager is currently unemployed after being sacked by AS Roma in January 2024 after two successful seasons.
Mourinho has achieved everything in his career in Europe. A move away to America or Saudi Arabia might help him rejuvenate his career. The Portuguese manager is 61 years old and might also move to any national team to broaden his career in management. The coming few years might be crucial for Mourinho and his future in management.