Jose Mourinho broke down in tears during a phone call with Sir Alex Ferguson as he explained his decision not to succeed him at Manchester United, according to a new Netflix documentary. The 63-year-old instead returned to Chelsea, despite his fractured relationship with then-owner Roman Abramovich.
Mourinho's emotional decision
The docuseries, titled 'Mourinho', airs on Tuesday and features revelations about his career, including his near-appointment at Old Trafford in 2013. Ferguson said: "He was offered the job, yes. I sat him down and explained the situation and, as far as I was concerned, he was accepting. And then, within hours, had changed."
Mourinho recalled being flattered by the offer, saying: "I was, of course, very flattered, because Man United has an incredible appeal. When I say Real Madrid is the biggest club in the world, I have to say that Man United is very, very close." He added that his love for a specific club outweighed his love for football, and after Real Madrid, he needed to feel loved.
Ferguson expressed disappointment, noting Mourinho phoned him in tears: "Early evening, he phoned me and he was crying. And he says, 'Alex, I can't take it. I've given my word to Chelsea and I'm not gonna break my word'. The reason he gave to me, I could understand. But I was disappointed."
Despite the dramatic nature of the decision, Mourinho said: "For me to lose the chance to be the coach to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson was...dramatic. But I don't regret [it], because it was a decision I made with my heart."
Revenge on Abramovich
Mourinho's return to Chelsea was surprising given his history with Abramovich. In 2010, when his Inter Milan faced Chelsea in the Champions League, he saw it as a personal battle. He said: "Honestly, I was playing against Roman in that game. I was not playing against Chelsea. I was not playing against the boys. I was playing against him."
The match, which Inter won thanks to a Samuel Eto'o goal, was particularly satisfying for Mourinho, who had wanted Eto'o at Chelsea but saw Abramovich sign Andriy Shevchenko instead. He described the victory as "beauty", adding: "I was playing against a guy that sacked me. It felt like pleasure. I go home happy and he goes upset, because I know how much he loves Chelsea, I know how much he loves to win. But I needed revenge. Because football belongs to people like me. The other ones are the intruders who don't belong."
Mourinho later repaired relations with Abramovich enough to return for a second spell, winning a third Premier League title, but it ended in another premature exit. He is now set for a comeback at Real Madrid, where he previously left under difficult circumstances in 2013.
