Depending on who you ask, Jose Mourinho can be called either the greatest tactical trainer that ever walked the planet Earth or the most negative manager, who finds his success in not playing an open game, making the beautiful game look so ugly.
Regardless of opinion, the polarizing manager of Manchester United is one of the most successful managers in world football, having achieved success in every club he has ever managed.
Jose Mourinho Early Life and Managerial Career
José Mourinho was born on January 26, 1963 in Setubal, a suburb of Lisbon, Portugal, as José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix. He is the son of former professional footballer Félix Mourinho and primary school teacher Maria Júlia Carrajola dos Santos.
As a child, Mourinho had the hope to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a professional footballer. He first joined the youth team of the Belenenses, before joining the senior national team on Rio Ave in 1980. He spent two years with the northern Portuguese club before returning to Belenenses. However, after finding it difficult to establish himself there, he tried again in Sesimbra and then at the Comércio e Indústria before deciding to give up his dreams and concentrate on becoming a coach.
His first step was to enroll at the Technical University of Lisbon to study sports science. He also attended coaching courses organized by the English and Scottish Football Associations, where he attracted the attention of former Scottish coach Andy Roxburgh. Mourinho’s first job was as a school coach, then he became a youth team coach with Vitória de Setúbal.
After a while, Mourinho took over the position of deputy manager at Estrela da Amadora before he later became a scout at Ovarense. His big breakthrough finally came when he was hired as an interpreter for the English manager Bobby Robson, who had just been appointed to the top of Sporting CP.
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José Mourinho and Robson established a close and friendly working relationship that led to them working together in Porto and then in Barcelona. During this time, the young Portuguese manager was no longer just an interpreter, but also an assistant coach, able to plan training sessions and help the players analyze the opponent and tactics.
The style of the two men complemented each other and they achieved great success in working together. Mourinho later parted ways with Robson when he left Barcelona in 1997, as the former was left behind to serve under Louis Van Gaal.
In 2000 Mourinho returned home to work under coach Jupp Heynckes at Benfica, but later found himself at the top after only four weeks when the German coach resigned from his post. He spent a few months at the club before resigning due to a dispute over a contract extension and taking over as head coach at União de Leiria.
He spent a year at União de Leiria before being hand-picked to head Porto, with whom he won a number of trophies, including two Primeira League titles and a UEFA Champions League title. Following this success, Mourinho became a kind of journeyman manager, completing two assignments as head of Chelsea with jobs at Inter Milan and in between Real Madrid, before joining Manchester United.
José Mourinho Salary
According to France Football, José Mourinho is at the top of the ranks of the highest-paid managers in world football. The Portuguese manager, who recently signed a new contract extension with Manchester United, which will see him at the helm of Old Trafford until 2020 with the option of another year, is reportedly to receive an annual salary of 26 million euros.
Family – Wife, Daughter, Son
Unlike many people, José Mourinho is lucky enough to spend his life with the only woman he has ever been with, Matilde Faria, better known to close friends and relatives as Tami. Faria, who was born in Angola but grew up on the Iberian Peninsula, spends her time doing humanitarian work and is also an ambassador for the World Food Program.
Before they exchanged vows in 1989, José and Tami knew each other since their youth when they grew up in Setubal, a suburb of Lisbon, Portugal. They reportedly lived a street away from each other, and once their paths crossed, they were inseparable. Together the couple has two children; a daughter named Matilde, born in 1996, and a son named José Mario Jr., born in 2000.
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The younger Mathilde, nicknamed Tita, is an up-and-coming lady of society who aspires to a career in the fashion industry. In the past, she was associated with one-direction star Niall Horan, although the two later confirmed that they were just friends. Jose Mario jr., on the other hand, hopes to become a professional footballer and is currently part of the youth section of Fulham Football Club.
Height, Weight, and Other Facts
Birth Name: José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix
Date of Birth: January 26, 1963
Place of Birth: Setúbal, Portugal
Nationality: Portuguese
Height: 5 feet 8½ inches (174 cm)
Weight: 74 kg (163 lbs)
Zodiac Sign: Aquarius