‘Genius’ player Jose Mourinho managed was in same calibre as Cristiano Ronaldo, he claims

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Former Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho has coached some of the finest talent football has to offer during his time as a manager.

When you’ve had a career that includes sides such as Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Manchester United and Chelsea – you’re bound to have come into contact with a few world-class stars in your time.

But the Mourinho era at Manchester United was not like the Sir Alex Ferguson one. There were far few mega-stars at the club.

In fact, Mourinho only believed there was one star during his time at Old Trafford who was at ‘genius’ level.

Jose Mourinho on the one Manchester United ‘genius’

On the Vibe with Five Podcast, Rio Ferdinand sat down with the legendary figure to chat about his Roma dismissal, Manchester United and all things football.

Ferdinand asked Jose about who his favourite individual players were to coach. Mourinho initially spoke about how he loved to coach youth, then went on to speak about his captains – but finished with what he called the ‘stars’.

“Then there are the stars,” Mourinho says. “These are the players that make the difference even when people think you are a genius and you’re not a genius. They are the genius. These are the guys that win for you. They win matches for you.

“The Cristiano’s [Ronaldo], the [Karim] Benzema’s, the Ibra’s [Zlatan Ibrahimovic]. Didi [Didier Drogba]. These guys. People think the coach is a genius, but he’s not. These guys are the genius. They make you feel like a genius.”

Zlatan Ibrahimovic similar to Cristiano Ronaldo

Mourinho worked with Zlatan twice in his career. Also had the privilege of working with him first in Milan.

We know what he means. The type of players to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and drag their team to victory. Goal scorers, leaders, warriors.

Zlatan fit this bracket, even in his older years at Carrington. He was the main man in Manchester, and he knew it.

Benzema and Drogba were also very similar at both Madrid and Chelsea, players who could make something out of nothing. United were lucky to have Zlatan. Just a pity it wasn’t 10 years earlier.

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