Former Chelsea and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has opened up about his preference for signing African players during his managerial stints at top European clubs.
In a conversation with former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand on the FIVE podcast, Mourinho, 61, expressed his admiration for African players, highlighting their loyalty and purity as key reasons for his affinity towards them.
Mourinho stated, “To be honest, I love the guys, and I feel that the African player is very loyal and very pure. The guys really love me. Even in Europe with many African guys, people really love me.”
Throughout his illustrious career, Mourinho has managed several elite clubs, including Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Inter Milan, where he worked with numerous African players who contributed significantly to his success.
During his first stint at Chelsea, he famously relied on the talents of Didier Drogba, John Obi-Mikel, Salomon Kalou, and Michael Essien, who were instrumental in his winning campaigns.
Mourinho’s bond with Essien extended beyond Chelsea, as he brought the Ghanaian midfielder to Real Madrid. He also re-signed Drogba during his second spell at Chelsea. Additionally, in January 2011, Mourinho secured Emmanuel Adebayor on a six-month loan for Real Madrid from Manchester City.
At Inter Milan, Mourinho enjoyed remarkable success, leading the team to a historic treble in 2010. Key to this achievement was Samuel Eto’o, supported by Sulley Muntari. Mourinho later reunited with Eto’o at Chelsea during the latter stages of the Cameroonian striker’s career.
Mourinho’s special connection with African players has been a consistent theme throughout his managerial career, underscoring the mutual respect and loyalty between the Portuguese manager and his African stars.
“I love to work with the African players. I think I take the best out of the guys. I think the guys see me as somebody that really loves them and admires their qualities as players and persons,” said the former Tottenham boss.
Jose Mourinho, currently managing Fenerbahçe SK, was dismissed from AS Roma on January 16, 2024, despite guiding the Serie A team to consecutive European finals. During his time in Rome, he signed Tammy Abraham and Romelu Lukaku, both of African descent.
