The Portuguese coach admitted in a new Netflix documentary that he had already agreed to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, but at the last moment returned to Chelsea out of loyalty.
José Mourinho, currently the manager of Real Madrid, has revealed in a new Netflix documentary series about his career that he signed a contract with Manchester United in 2013. The Portuguese tactician was set to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson, but at the last moment he changed his mind and returned to Chelsea. This long-hidden story sheds entirely new light on one of the greatest "what if" tales in modern football history.
Sir Alex Ferguson, who won 13 Premier League titles during his 26 years at the United helm, decided to end his illustrious era in May 2013. In his search for a successor, he turned to Mourinho, who was then leaving Real Madrid. "I offered him the job. I sat down with him and explained the situation. I was convinced he was accepting, and then everything changed within a few hours," Ferguson recounted in the same documentary.
Mourinho confirmed that the deal was already a done deal. "When I left Real Madrid, I signed with Manchester United to come after Sir Alex," he stated in the series titled "Mourinho." He added that the offer was immensely flattering because Manchester United has enormous appeal, but he emphasized that love for a particular club is stronger than love for football.
The turning point came when Chelsea, the club with which Mourinho had previously won two consecutive English league titles in 2005 and 2006, came calling. The sense of loyalty to the London club was too strong. Ferguson recalled the dramatic phone call: "He told me through tears: 'Alex, I can't do it. I've given my word to Chelsea, and I'm not going to break it.'"
"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 going to break my word.'", Sir Alex Ferguson in the Netflix documentary
Mourinho admitted that missing the chance to succeed Ferguson was dramatic, but he has no regrets about his decision. "It was a decision I made with my heart. When you do something out of love, you never make a mistake," he said. After returning to Chelsea, he won another league title and the League Cup before being sacked in December 2015.
Fate did give Mourinho and Manchester United another opportunity. In May 2016, the Portuguese finally took over the club, succeeding Louis van Gaal. His tenure at Old Trafford lasted two and a half years, during which he won the Europa League and the League Cup. However, he failed to return the club to the top of English football and was dismissed in December 2018.
Before Mourinho's appointment, United had brought in David Moyes after Ferguson's departure, who lasted only 10 months in charge. The documentary also reveals details of Mourinho's old conflicts with Iker Casillas and his complex relationship with former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, but the biggest attention is drawn by his admission about the failed move to Old Trafford in 2013.
