José Mourinho admitted that his emotional connection with his former clubs remains intact even after his departures, yet he singled out one club as the sole exception to that rule—reigniting debate surrounding his turbulent spell in England.
Speaking in an interview with Corriere dello Sport, the Portuguese manager affirmed that he retained human bonds and cherished memories with most of the teams he has managed, before pointing out that his experience with Tottenham Hotspur was entirely different.
Mourinho explained that he feels a genuine connection with Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, and AS Roma, whereas he described his attachment to Tottenham as virtually non-existent on a personal level.
“The Special One” previously summarized his stance by stating: “The only club in my career where I still don’t have a deep feeling is Tottenham,” linking that distance to the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the manner in which his tenure concluded.
Mourinho took charge of the London club in November 2019 but was dismissed in April 2021—just six days before the League Cup final against Manchester City, a match Tottenham ultimately lost 1-0.
The Portuguese coach believes that club chairman Daniel Levy deprived him of the chance to contest a cup final and potentially break Tottenham’s trophy drought, leaving the manner of his sacking far more impactful on him than the results preceding it.
By contrast, Mourinho continues to speak with evident affection about his other managerial stops—most notably Chelsea, Inter, and Roma—where he forged trophy-winning runs and powerful bonds with supporters, leaving Tottenham as the lonely exception in a career spent at Europe’s biggest clubs.
