Jose Mourinho has once again delivered a masterclass in controversy, slamming Chelsea’s Club World Cup participation and mocking Pep Guardiola’s goalkeeping philosophy.
The former Manchester United and Chelsea boss, now managing Turkish side Fenerbahce, used a recent interview to reopen old wounds and reignite his long-standing rivalry with Pep Guardiola, referencing their El Clasico-era battles and taking a swipe at Guardiola’s tactical rigidity.
“If you die with your idea, you’re stupid. Coaches must adapt. Playing from the back with a wooden goalkeeper is tough,” Mourinho quipped.
He went on to critique Guardiola’s well-known insistence on building from the back, citing questionable goalkeeper choices such as Joe Hart, Claudio Bravo, and Ederson as signs of tactical inflexibility.
Chelsea’s Club World Cup Win ‘Just a Jersey Seller’
Mourinho saved his sharpest barbs for Chelsea FC, the club he once led to Premier League glory. Dismissing their 2025 Club World Cup campaign as little more than a branding exercise, the “Special One” described the Blues’ victory as commercially driven rather than competitively meaningful.
“This World Cup title only matters for Chelsea because they’ll sell a lot of jerseys with the logo,” he said, likening their involvement to a “preseason tour.”
Although he acknowledged Cole Palmer’s breakout season, Mourinho downplayed Chelsea’s semi-final performances despite their 3-0 win over Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain in the final.
Mourinho Backs PSG as True Champions
Surprisingly, Mourinho praised PSG as the “real winners” of the football year, not Chelsea. He highlighted their historic 5-0 UEFA Champions League final thrashing of Inter Milan, emphasizing their dominance in European competition despite losing key players.
“PSG dominated Europe. They won the Champions League without their star man. That’s what matters,” he said.
Transfer Talk: Mourinho Eyes Victor Boniface
Off the pitch, Mourinho’s Fenerbahce are making headlines of their own. The Turkish giants are reportedly preparing a record-breaking €40 million (KSh 6.07 billion) bid for Victor Boniface, the Super Eagles striker currently starring for Bayer Leverkusen.
If successful, the move would make Boniface one of the most expensive African players to transfer to Turkey.
This potential signing could follow in the footsteps of Victor Osimhen, whose €75 million (KSh 11.3 billion) release clause continues to attract interest from top clubs, including Galatasaray.
