Mourinho back to United? Ranking the Special One's managerial roles from worst to best

Once again in the mix

In a twist no one saw coming — and some still don’t believe — José Mourinho has emerged as a serious candidate for the Manchester United job. Again.

Things are not looking good

Reports, from everyone from The Mirror to TEAMtalk, suggest the former United boss is suddenly the bookmakers’ favourite to replace the embattled Rúben Amorim, whose brief reign has gone south faster than a Lisandro Martínez sprint.

The drama never stops with this lot

So, in honour of the most dramatic man in football possibly returning to the most dramatic club in football, we’ve ranked all of Mourinho’s top-flight tenures — from untouchably iconic to "he got sacked when?". All stats sourced from Transfermarkt.

10. Benfica (2000)

Ten games, one win over Sporting, and then he quit because they wouldn’t give him a contract extension, as All Football reported. The first glimpse of that famous ego — and probably the last time he left a job before things went south.

9. União de Leiria (2001–2002)

Nobody really remembers what Mourinho did at Leiria, but he impressed enough to get the Porto job. Call this his "B-sides and rarities" era. No trophies, but crucial lore for the Mourinho origin story.

8. Fenerbahçe (2024–Present)

Fener are flying high in the league, but as ever with José, the football is only half the story. He's flipping coins to pick lineups, pinching rival coaches, and somehow still being linked with a United return. Classic Mourinho: competitive, chaotic, and constantly in the headlines.

7. Tottenham Hotspur (2019–2021)

Let’s be honest: this was doomed from day one. Spurs fans never loved him. He never loved them back. He was sacked before a cup final — and somehow that still wasn’t the most embarrassing part. No trophies, no style, no memories... Other than that Amazon documentary where he looked permanently annoyed.

6. AS Roma (2021–2024)

Mourinho did bring Roma their first European trophy in forever (yes, it was the Conference League, but still). But by the end, the team played like they’d had enough of being yelled at. Too many draws, too few goals, and his second season felt like the tactical equivalent of yelling "park the bus" into a wind tunnel.

4. Real Madrid (2010–2013)

Mourinho at Madrid was part genius, part melodrama. He broke Pep’s dominance, won La Liga with a record 100 points, and still found time to poke Tito Vilanova in the eye. He did what he was hired to do — win big — but left the place more divided than a WhatsApp group post-banter. A chaotic success.

3. FC Porto (2002–2004)

A Champions League with Porto? That’s like winning Eurovision with a kazoo. He didn’t just win, he owned Europe. From the touchline sprint at Old Trafford to the arrogant genius he became overnight — this was the origin story of a supervillain.

2. Chelsea (2004–2007, 2013–2015)

The first stint? Revolutionary. Mourinho swaggered into English football with arrogance, brilliance, and a terrifyingly efficient team. Three Premier League titles, two League Cups, an FA Cup, and some of the best soundbites in football history. The second stint? A bit more grumpy uncle than 'special one', but still brought a title and delicious chaos before the third-season syndrome kicked in hard.

1. Inter Milan (2008–2010)

This is the ultimate Mourinho masterpiece — the Sistine Chapel of skulduggery. In just two seasons, he delivered Inter’s first Champions League title in 45 years, a domestic double to go with it, and left Milan a god in a grey overcoat. Beating Guardiola’s Barça with ten men? Textbook José. He even cried in the car park saying goodbye, as OneFootball reported.