5 football clubs who sold their best players

#4 Porto FC

Mourinho won his first Champions League trophy with FC Porto in 2004

The 2003-04 team of Porto FC is legendary thanks to a certain Jose Mourinho. Not only did they win the Primeira Liga that year but also lifted the Champions League after an emphatic 3-0 victory over AS Monaco in the final. To put their victory in perspective, they were the first club outside of the big four European leagues to win the Champions League since 1993.

Their domestic victory was equally impressive, coming first by eight points after conceding only 19 goals in 34 games in true Mourinho style. ‘The Special One’ had also led them to the league title, Portuguese Cup and the UEFA Cup the previous season. With the likes of Ricardo Carvalho, Benni McCarthy, Maniche, Costinha, Paulo Ferreira, Derlei and Deco in the side, the Dragons were just as fierce as their name implies.

But Mourinho left for Chelsea after their European victory and with him followed an exodus of players to other climes. Ferreira and Carvalho followed the Portuguese manager to London and Deco left for Barcelona. In spite of losing some of their best players, the worst loss was that of their manager.

Even though they have managed to feature strongly in domestic football, they have hardly made their presence felt on the European stage since the manager’s departure.