About 20 minutes after his meeting with Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward at the London hotel, Mourinho was filmed arriving home with papers and a bottle of wine in his hand. There was double cause for celebration, as 26th May 2016 marked 12 years since his first Champions League title with Porto.
Shortly afterwards Jose Mourinho was congratulated by former Red Devils captain Rio Ferdinand on his appointment as manager of the biggest football club in the world.
Writing on Facebook, Rio Ferdinand told Man United fans that they now had a real winner in every respect and that his CV spoke for itself. After his failure at Chelsea the previous year, Ferdinand added, Jose would be like a wounded animal.
The official confirmation from the club came the following day, when Jose Mourinho posed in United’s kit in front of journalists.
Jose Mourinho and Manchester United officially began negotiations after the dismissal of Louis van Gaal, who left “Old Trafford” after two years at the club.
On Wednesday “Sky Sports” announced that both parties had agreed terms. It then emerged that the signing had been delayed by several potential disputes over the coach’s image rights. Those issues were resolved, and Man United signed Mourinho.
On the club’s official website, Jose Mourinho described becoming Manchester United manager as a special honour in the game. He called United a club known and revered throughout the world, with a mystique and romance that no other club could match. He said he had always felt an affinity for “Old Trafford”, a stadium that held some very important memories of his career, and that there had always been an understanding between him and the United fans, which he had enjoyed. He looked forward to being their manager and was sure he would enjoy their excellent support in the years to come.
Chelsea’s decision to sack the Special One looked like their biggest mistake. Everyone has failures, and patience is owed to people who have proven their abilities and shown what they can do in football.
The background at Chelsea
The “wounded animal” Rio Ferdinand described had left Chelsea only five months earlier. Mourinho’s second spell at Stamford Bridge ended by mutual consent on 17 December 2015, after the defending champions had lost nine of their first 16 league matches of the season. Under Mourinho, Chelsea had won the 2014-15 Premier League title only months before.
The anniversary he celebrated in London dated back to 2004, when his Porto side beat Monaco 3-0 in the Champions League final in Germany, about two weeks after losing the Taça de Portugal final.
How the United years went
Mourinho signed a three-year contract on 27 May 2016, with an option to remain until at least 2020. His first season brought three trophies: the 2016 Community Shield, the 2017 EFL Cup and the 2017 Europa League, which also secured a place in the Champions League.
The second season was solid without being decisive. United finished second in the Premier League, nineteen points behind Manchester City, and reached the 2018 FA Cup final, where Chelsea won 1-0 through an Eden Hazard penalty.
The third season went badly. After seven wins in the first 17 league games, with United 19 points behind the leaders, the club dismissed him on 18 December 2018. He later managed Tottenham Hotspur, whom he took to the 2020-21 League Cup final, and Roma, where he won the first edition of the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2022, the club’s first European trophy.
Questions people ask
When did Jose Mourinho sign for Manchester United?
Mourinho signed a three-year contract with Manchester United on 27 May 2016, with an option to stay until at least 2020. He replaced Louis van Gaal, who had left after two years in charge.
What did Mourinho win at Manchester United?
In his first season Mourinho won the 2016 Community Shield, the 2017 EFL Cup and the 2017 Europa League. In 2017-18 United finished second in the Premier League and reached the FA Cup final, which they lost 1-0 to Chelsea.
When was Mourinho sacked by Manchester United?
Manchester United dismissed Mourinho on 18 December 2018. The team had won seven of their first 17 league games that season and were 19 points behind the leaders.
Why did Mourinho leave Chelsea in 2015?
Mourinho's second spell at Chelsea ended by mutual consent on 17 December 2015. At that point Chelsea had lost nine of their 16 league matches that season.