Gary Lineker has admitted he is still baffled by the nature of his rollercoaster relationship with Jose Mourinho, more than a decade after a high-profile snub left him searching for answers. The former Match of the Day host previously spoke about his bond with 'The Special One', noting that they are no longer as close as they once were.
The Turning Point in 2015
Lineker believes a 2015 incident, when Mourinho requested someone else to present an award to him, marked a turning point. Now, 11 years later, the former England striker admits he still has not received the explanations he sought. Speaking at Netflix's Sports Club, Lineker said: 'He’s up and down, I know that from my experience. Jose is fascinating, he used to text me all the time, 'I love what you say on Match of the Day,' I had this relationship with him. Then it stopped. It stopped. That was it. To this day I don’t know what I said to upset him.'
The Award Ceremony Snub
Lineker recalled how GQ magazine asked him to present Mourinho with the Sportsperson of the Year award (Editor's Special Award) when the Portuguese was managing Chelsea. 'I said, 'Of course I will' - this was after about six months of the silence. The day before I got a phone call saying, 'Jose actually would prefer it if it’s a non-football person that presents it,' I said, 'I’m still coming.' So I went up to him and I asked him, I said, 'Have we got a problem.' He said, 'No,' I said, 'You sure?', he went, 'No.' To this day I still don’t know. Maybe it was a bad joke or something.'
Mourinho's Potential Return to Real Madrid
Mourinho has recently been linked with a sensational return to former club Real Madrid. Reports suggest that president Florentino Perez sees the current Benfica boss as an ideal candidate to replace Alvaro Arbeloa. Lineker believes a move back to the Bernabeu could happen. He added: 'I think there’s every chance he might end up being the next Real Madrid manager. I think there’s a really good chance, I know the president really loves him.'
Mourinho's Current Situation
Mourinho has been with Benfica since September last year and remains under contract until 2027. Speaking about the rumours linking him with Real Madrid last week, he said: 'Everyone knows the situation. When the season ends, we'll have 10 days to decide whether to continue or part ways. I've said what I had to say. I've already said enough -- perhaps more than enough -- so there's no need to say any more. What I've said, I've said. And I don't need to repeat it. That's all.'
