From Arsene Wenger to Claudio Ranieri, Lionel Messi to Cristiano Ronaldo, Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is not the first to rile the outspoken Portuguese
Getty ImagesSpecialist in failure!
"He’s [Arsene Wenger] a specialist in failure. If I do that in Chelsea, eight years, I leave and don’t come back."
Arguably Mourinho's most infamous insult was directed towards Arsenal's long-serving manager in February 2014, with Arsenal enduring a trophy drought and Wenger having had the audacity to suggest that rival bosses were playing down their Premier League title chances because they "fear to fail".
Mourinho also once said of a man he has endured regular clashes with down the years, on and off the field: "I think he is one of these people who is a voyeur. He likes to watch other people. There are some guys who, when they are at home, have a big telescope to see what happens in other families. He speaks, speaks, speaks about Chelsea."
AdvertisementGettyLearn the lingo!
“Ranieri? I guess he’s right with what he said I am very demanding of myself and I have to win to be sure of things. This is why I have won so many trophies in my career. Ranieri on the other hand has the mentality of someone who doesn’t need to win. He is almost 70 years old. He has won a Supercup and another small trophy and he is too old to change his mentality. He’s old and he hasn’t won anything. I studied Italian five hours a day for many months to ensure I could communicate with the players, media and fans. Ranieri had been in England for five years and still struggled to say ‘good morning’ and ‘good afternoon.'"
What had 56-year-old, then Juventus coach Ranieri done to spark such a tirade back in 2008? He merely stated: "I am not like Mourinho, I don’t have to win things to be sure of myself."
GettyVery Inter-esting!
"I thought he was going to thank me for the title I gave him. Ask all the Inter fans what they think of me and him."
Mourinho sought to rain on the parade of Inter successor Rafa Benitez after a Club World Cup triumph in 2010 – with his Treble-winning exploits still fresh in the memory. Mourinho also chirped back at the Spaniard's spouse during a bitter verbal battle: “The only club where her husband replaced me was at Inter Milan, where in six months he destroyed the best team in Europe at the time. And for her also to think about me and to speak about me, I think the lady needs to occupy her time, and if she takes care of her husband’s diet she will have less time to speak about me.”
GettyimagesPep talk!
"Guardiola is a fantastic coach but I have won two Champions Leagues. He has won [only] one Champions League and that is one that would embarrass me. I would be ashamed to have won it with the scandal of Stamford Bridge and if he wins it this year it will be with the scandal of the Bernabeu. I hope one day Guardiola has the chance of winning a proper Champions League, a brilliant, clean championship with no scandal."
Barcelona did win the Champions League in 2011 – handing Guardiola a second European crown – but not before they had irked Clasico rivals Real Madrid during a feisty semi-final encounter, with that coaching rivalry having now been rekindled in Manchester.