Mourinho's all time greatest XI

Right-wing: Wesley Sneijder

Sneijder playing in the treble winning season

In the 4-2-3-1 that Mourinho traditionally prefers, occupying an unfamiliar role on the right-hand side is Wesley Sneijder. There are still many who wholeheartedly believe that the 2010 Ballon d'Or, the first that Lionel Messi won, should have instead gone to the Dutch playmaker, for his role in the Inter Milan treble and the Netherland's progression to the World Cup final.

More recently, the Dutchman's inconsistency has been frustrating. But for the two seasons Mourinho managed, he turned every ounce of Sneijder's superlative talent into results on the pitch.

Attacking midfield: Frank Lampard

Mourinho and Lampard reunited earlier this year

Perhaps the main reason Mourinho was so perpetually dissatisfied with Paul Pogba was his experiences with Frank Lampard as the driving force in midfield. In the three full seasons Mourinho had at Chelsea's helm, Lampard missed four league games, racked up 60 goals in all competitions, won the 2005 FWA Footballer of the year and came second to Ronaldinho in the same year's Ballon D'or.

He was the ideal Mourinho midfielder, with the work rate to defend in his own box, the range of passing to start attacks, the stamina to support them and finally, famously, the goal-scoring prowess to finish them off.