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Current Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho might have his detractors, but there’s no disputing his spot as one of football’s greatest ever managers.
The Portuguese has enjoyed tremendous success at practically every club he’s been in charge of. He’s won league titles in Portugal, England, Italy, and Spain. And he’s even won the Champions League with two different sides.
Naturally, for a manager so successful, Mourinho has had some true greats play under him over the years. The list of world-class talent to have played for ‘The Special One’ is almost infinite, but here we’ve attempted to whittle it down to a top ten.
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As a disclaimer, this list is purely subjective, is in no particular order, and has attempted to take into consideration the player’s impact while playing under Mourinho more than other factors.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Arguably the greatest player in football history, the great Cristiano Ronaldo joined up with Mourinho during his countryman’s stint in charge of Real Madrid. Ronaldo had already been at the Bernabeu for a season prior to Mourinho’s arrival in the summer of 2010, but despite scoring 33 goals, he’d ended the campaign trophyless.
That naturally changed when Mourinho took over the reins. The 2010-11 season saw Ronaldo score a ridiculous 53 goals and claim his first trophy at Real in the form of the Copa del Rey. But even better was to come.
Ronaldo scored 60 goals in the 2011-12 campaign for Mourinho, as Los Blancos finally wrestled the La Liga title away from the all-conquering Barcelona side who’d won the title in the previous three seasons. The campaign saw Mourinho’s Real set numerous records, including most games won in a La Liga season (32), most goals scored in a La Liga season (121) and best goal difference (+89) in the competition’s history.
Things ended on a somewhat sour note as the Portuguese duo apparently fell out in Mourinho’s final season at the Bernabeu. Reportedly, Mourinho felt that Ronaldo simply didn’t deal with criticism well. However, given that CR7 scored 168 goals in just three seasons under ‘The Special One’ means he easily warrants a spot here.
#2 John Terry (Chelsea)
Perhaps no other player optimises Mourinho’s two reigns at Chelsea as much as the man who captained the Blues during both stints – defender John Terry. When Mourinho arrived at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2004, Terry was just 23 years old, but evidently the Portuguese instantly recognised his leadership qualities.
Mourinho handed him the captain’s armband immediately, and the decision paid off in spades. Not only did Chelsea capture their first-ever Premier League title in the 2004-05 season, but their success was built from the back.
The Blues broke the records for the most clean sheets kept in a season (25), fewest goals conceded in a season (15) and lost just one game. Terry played 36 of Chelsea’s 38 games and ended up being named as the PFA’s Player’s Player of the Year.
The 2005-06 season saw Chelsea retain their title under Mourinho, and again Terry was a key man, playing another 36 matches. Chelsea were unable to keep hold of the title in 2006-07, but Mourinho and Terry still led them to the FA Cup and EFL Cup.
When the Portuguese returned to the club in the summer of 2013, the England defender remained club captain. And despite turning 34 in December 2014, he was an ever-present as Mourinho led the Blues to another Premier League title.
In terms of Mourinho’s captains, Terry remains unsurpassed.
#3 Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter Milan & Manchester United)
Legendary Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic actually didn’t play under Mourinho for a long period of time. He spent a single season – 2008-09 - under the Portuguese at Inter Milan, and was then brought to Manchester United by him in the 2016-17 campaign.
However, it’s safe to say that some of the best football of the Swede’s storied career came while playing for ‘The Special One’.
At Inter, Ibrahimovic helped Mourinho to start his time in Italy with a bang, as the club won the Supercoppa Italiana. The season then saw the Swede score 25 goals, finishing at Serie A’s top goalscorer as Inter lifted the Scudetto for the first time under the Portuguese.
The Swede’s performances also saw him named both Footballer of the Year and Foreign Footballer of the Year.
Ibrahimovic departed the San Siro in the summer of 2009, heading to Barcelona. This meant that he missed out on winning the Champions League under Mourinho in the following season. But seven years later, he would link up with the Portuguese boss again, this time at Old Trafford.
Aged 35, there were question marks hanging over how well Ibrahimovic – a free agent – would do in Manchester. But there need not have been any doubts.
The Swede scored the winning goal in the 2016 Community Shield on his debut. He ended the 2016-17 campaign with 28 goals in 46 games - helping United to win the EFL Cup and the UEFA Europa League along the way. And where other managers have felt the scorn of the Swede, Mourinho is different.
In Ibrahimovic’s famous autobiography I Am Zlatan, he even stated that Mourinho “was a guy I was basically willing to die for” – summing up the mutual respect of their relationship.
#4 Diego Costa (Chelsea)
When Mourinho returned to Chelsea for the 2013-14 campaign, his third-place finish was seen as a bit of a disappointment. The feeling was that the Portuguese was just a couple of top-class players short of making a real title challenge.
Of course, ‘The Special One’ ended up leading Chelsea to the Premier League title – his third with the club – in the very next season. And the biggest reason for that success was the two top-class players he brought to Stamford Bridge during the summer of 2014 – Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa.
Both men had a tremendous impact. Fabregas definitely added the mix of steel and slickness that Chelsea’s midfield needed. But it was Costa who really embodied Mourinho’s methods on the pitch.
A physical, bullying striker who wasn’t afraid to mix it with opposing defenders, the Spanish international needed no time to adjust to the Premier League. After four Premier League matches, he’d already scored seven goals, including a stunning hat-trick in a 2-6 mauling of Everton.
Costa finished the season with a total of 20 Premier League goals, despite a hamstring injury restricting him to just 26 appearances. Of course, injuries weren’t the only thing that kept him off the pitch.
His streetwise style also landed him in plenty of hot water. He picked up eight yellow cards across the campaign and was also banned for thee games after stamping on Emre Can in a match with Liverpool. But this kind of behaviour only seemed to endear him more to both the Chelsea fans and to Mourinho. The Portuguese tactician's perceived mastery of football’s ‘Dark Arts’ seemed to be embodied by the Spaniard on the pitch.
Mourinho ended up departing Chelsea during the next campaign, and to tell the truth, Costa was never quite the same for the Blues afterwards. He scored another 20 goals as Chelsea won the 2016-17 Premier League under Antonio Conte, but left under a black cloud shortly after.
It’s safe to say that the mark he made for Mourinho in the lone full season he played under him was effective enough to earn him a spot here.
#5 Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan)
Mourinho won the Scudetto in his first season at Inter Milan. But it wasn’t until the 2009-10 campaign that his name entered into Nerazzurri legend. That season saw his side conquer all, as they not only retained the Scudetto but also captured the Coppa Italia and finally, the Champions League.
Undoubtedly one of the keys to this success was the signing of Dutchman Wesley Sneijder. Sneijder had become surplus to requirements at Real Madrid following the arrivals of Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo. And somehow, Mourinho was able to capture his signature for just €15m.
His impact was immediate. The Dutchman made his debut in a 4-0 win over Inter’s city rivals AC Milan. Sneijder went onto rack up 26 appearances in Serie A, scoring four goals and registering six assists.
And of course, like all of the great Mourinho players, Sneijder wasn’t afraid to show his combative side. He received two red cards during the same campaign. One came in the return Milan derby after he sarcastically clapped in the face of the referee following a questionable decision.
But it was in Europe that the Dutchman made his greatest mark. Throughout Inter’s eventually victorious Champions League campaign, Sneijder was fantastic. He scored three goals – including one against Barcelona in the first leg of Inter’s semi-final victory. Sneijder registered six assists, including one in the final. In 11 games, the Dutchman was directly involved in nine goals.
Sneijder remained at the San Siro for a further three seasons, but never recreated the success of his debut season once Mourinho departed. Despite only playing under him for a single campaign, the Dutchman’s best football came under the watchful eye of ‘The Special One’.
#6 Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
Arguably Chelsea’s greatest-ever player, current Blues boss Frank Lampard stands comfortably as one of the best to play under Mourinho. Lampard had already been at Stamford Bridge for three seasons when ‘The Special One’ arrived. But it was under Mourinho that his career soared to new, incredible heights.
Lampard was an ever-present in Mourinho’s first season in charge, as Chelsea marched almost comfortably to their first Premier League title. He scored 19 goals – the best return of his career to that point. Additionally, Lampard also registered 16 assists, the most in the Premier League.
By the end of the campaign, he was renowned as one of the world’s best midfielders – and was deservedly awarded the FWA Footballer of the Year award.
Somehow, 2005-06 was arguably even more impressive for the England international. September 2005 saw him finish as runner-up in the prestigious Ballon d’Or award. And when Mourinho declared him the “best player in the world”, it didn’t feel far off.
Chelsea again won the Premier League title, and this time Lampard finished as their top scorer, bagging 16 in the league and 20 overall. And while Mourinho couldn’t achieve a hat-trick of league titles in 2006-07, Lampard was still outstanding. The English midfielder scored 21 goals as Chelsea captured the FA Cup and EFL Cup.
Mourinho famously departed Chelsea early on in the 2007-08 campaign, leaving Lampard to continue to write his own legend at the club. Incredibly, during the Portuguese’s tenure there, the England man only missed four league games. This made him Mourinho’s most important Chelsea player.
#7 Claude Makelele (Chelsea)
Chelsea’s success under Mourinho in the Portuguese’s first stint at the club was built on the defensive solidity of John Terry and the attacking talents of Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard. However, another player was equally important – if not more important – to the cause.
That player was defensive midfielder Claude Makelele. Makelele was signed by Mourinho’s predecessor Claudio Ranieri. But it was under ‘The Special One’ in the 2004-05 campaign that the Frenchman’s real worth became clear.
A low-profile individual, Makelele had a simple role in Mourinho’s all-conquering Blues side. He would sit at the deepest point of Chelsea’s midfield, where he would win the ball back from the opposition. He would then use his passing skills to feed it forward, facilitating attacks.
English football had always had midfield enforcers – the likes of Roy Keane and Paul Ince – but none had been quite so cultured as Makelele. The Frenchman could blend his defensive side into his more attacking instincts seamlessly. And the benefit on Chelsea’s fortunes was tremendous.
Despite being 32 years old at the time of Mourinho’s arrival at Stamford Bridge, the Frenchman was practically an ever-present during the Portuguese’s reign. He won five major trophies with Chelsea. And his influence on how the holding midfielder was viewed in England remains huge today, with the likes of N’Golo Kante carrying his mantle.
Mourinho has managed plenty of flashy players who could easily have made this list. But arguably none had the impact of Makelele on one of his side’s fortunes. The fact that he departed Stamford Bridge at the end of the same campaign that saw Mourinho leave almost feels poetic.
#8 Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Belgian winger Eden Hazard signed for Chelsea in the summer of 2012 and quickly established himself as a key player for the Blues. When Mourinho arrived back at Stamford Bridge the following summer, it initially appeared that the two men would be incompatible.
Hazard enjoyed a fantastic first season under the Portuguese in 2013-14, scoring 17 goals in all competitions for the Blues. However, the club finished the campaign trophyless. The Belgian even hit out at Mourinho in the press following Chelsea’s Champions League elimination at the hands of Atletico Madrid.
Hazard claimed that the Blues were only set up to counter-attack. This was a comment that Mourinho retorted to by suggesting the Belgian wasn’t “mentally ready” to help his defence. Hazard was later voted Chelsea’s Player of the Year, but it appeared there were question marks over his future.
Nobody need have worried. The Belgian clearly bought into Mourinho’s philosophies, as his efforts in 2014-15 were absolutely phenomenal. The campaign saw him score 14 Premier League goals and register nine assists as the Blues won their first title in five years.
As the season ended, the Belgian was voted Chelsea’s Player of the Year again. Additionally, Hazard was also declared the FWA Footballer of the Year, the Premier League Player of the Season, and the PFA Players’ Player of the Year.
Like the majority of Chelsea’s squad at the time, Hazard’s form fell off during the fateful 2015-16 campaign that saw Mourinho unceremoniously fired. However, his form during the previous two seasons – 2014-15 in particular – earns him a spot as one of the Portuguese’s greatest ever players.
#9 Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan)
The move that took Samuel Eto’o from Barcelona – where he’d scored 130 goals in 199 appearances – to Inter Milan in the summer of 2009 still seems like a curious one today. At the time, it seemed hard to guess which club had gotten the better side of the deal. Barcelona received Zlatan Ibrahimovic – but Inter somehow got Eto’o and €46m.
By the end of the 2009-10 campaign, it was clear who’d come out on top. Nobody could dispute Ibrahimovic’s greatness. But while his lone season at the Nou Camp was good, Eto’o’s debut campaign at the San Siro was better.
Along with fellow new signing Wesley Sneijder, Eto’o gave Mourinho’s Inter the edge that they’d been missing somewhat in the previous season. Absolutely clinical in front of goal, the Cameroon international scored 12 Serie A goals and registered six assists as his side retained the Scudetto. But like Sneijder, Eto’o’s best performances were reserved for European competition.
During Inter’s eventually victorious Champions League campaign under Mourinho, the Cameroonian was absolutely incredible. His return of two goals and two assists doesn’t sound like much on paper. But his work-rate was astonishing, particularly in Inter’s semi-final victory over Barcelona. And in the final, it was Eto’o who set up Diego Milito for Inter’s second goal.
Eto’o enjoyed another fruitful season at the San Siro once Mourinho departed, but never again reached the heights that he did under ‘The Special One’. Indeed, the deal that brought him to Inter may well remain the best piece of transfer business that the Portuguese was ever involved in.
#10 Didier Drogba (Chelsea)
If Chelsea were to build a ‘Mount Rushmore’ of players from Mourinho’s first tenure with the club, then John Terry, Frank Lampard and Claude Makelele’s faces would likely be etched in stone. And the other player to be carved alongside them would almost certainly be Ivorian striker Didier Drogba.
It seems hard to believe now, but many fans questioned Mourinho’s judgment when he convinced Chelsea to part with a then-record fee of £24m to bring Drogba to Stamford Bridge. At the time, the striker was largely unproven at the top level, even if he’d scored 32 goals in his lone season at Marseille.
His first season at Chelsea saw him help the club to their first Premier League title. Although his return of 10 league goals – rising to 16 in all competitions – wasn’t considered that impressive. The Blues’ title win had been built upon their defensive solidity more than anything else, but the best was yet to come from the Ivorian.
2005-06 was when fans really started to see the best of Drogba. Sure, he only scored another 16 goals. But his efforts in leading the line for Chelsea were markedly improved. And his reputation as a player willing to engage in football’s ‘Dark Arts’ only seemed to endear him further to Mourinho. When the season ended, Chelsea – and Drogba – had another Premier League title to their name.
While the Blues failed to retain their crown in 2006-07 – winning the EFL and FA Cups instead – Drogba hit new heights on a personal note. He scored 33 goals in all competitions – including a Golden Boot-winning return of 20 in the Premier League. He also scored the winning goal in the FA Cup final.
Mourinho departed Chelsea during the campaign that followed, but that wasn’t the end of his relationship with Drogba. ‘The Special One’ returned to Stamford Bridge in 2013. And a year later, it was announced that the Ivorian was to return to the club as a free agent for one last season.
Naturally, the old magic was still there. Although he was used as more of a backup option, the then-36 year old still chipped in with seven goals and made 40 appearances. In his final game at the club – a win over Sunderland – he was named captain by Mourinho. This was a sign of the tremendous respect and adulation that the Portuguese had for the striker.
