Jose Mourinho, the former Manchester United manager and current Roma boss, recently revealed his all-time XI of players he has managed. Surprisingly, the team did not include any Manchester United stars, despite Mourinho’s stint with the club from 2016 to 2018, during which he won the Europa League and Carabao Cup in his first season. However, fans never really took to him, and his time at the club was marred by rumours of fall-outs with Paul Pogba.
AS reported on the all-star XI in 2020, which did not feature Pogba or any other Manchester United players. There were also some surprise omissions, considering the world-class players Mourinho has worked with in the past. Players like Sergio Ramos, David De Gea, Iker Casillas, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic could easily have made the cut. Even Harry Kane, Mourinho’s former star striker at Tottenham Hotspur, failed to make the team.
In goal, Mourinho chose Petr Cech, who was his No.1 during his successful spells at Chelsea. John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho, two of Mourinho’s rocks during his Chelsea days, are at centre-half, with William Gallas and Javier Zanetti occupying the full-back slots. Zanetti is the only player to feature from Inter Milan, where Mourinho coached between 2008 and 2010 and won the Champions League as part of a treble in his final season.
The Chelsea core continues throughout the rest of the team. Claude Makelele sits in the defensive midfield position. Frank Lampard plays just in front of him alongside ex-Arsenal star Mesut Ozil, who Mourinho managed during his time at Real Madrid between 2010-13. Eden Hazard and Cristiano Ronaldo will cut in from the flanks to provide the goals and assists for frontman Didier Drogba.
Overall, Mourinho’s all-time XI is a formidable team, but the absence of Manchester United players may raise some eyebrows. However, it is clear that Mourinho has managed some of the greatest footballers of all time, and his team selection reflects that.