I am Josè Mourinho
Thumbnail Picture: Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
"I am José Mourinho."
If you happened to scroll down your TikTok or Instagram feed over the last couple of weeks, you might have heard these words followed by a demonstration of strategic genius in the most trivial and ordinary situations.
Something like: "POV: You've forgotten the name of the girl you are on a date with and you bring her to Starbucks."
A snapshot from Mourinho’s video went viral on social media
Simple as that. Yet, the viral "I am José Mourinho" meme provides an explicit demonstration, in out days much more valuable than tons of books that the most prominent soccer experts could write in a century, of the fact that Jose Mourinho is still considered one of the top coaches all over the world.
Sure, following the unforgettable "Triplete" — the triumph in Serie A, National Cup, and Champions League with Inter — Mourinho's career has gone downhill with experiences at Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham, and now Roma.
Mourinho won the Champions League and Euro League with Porto. Credits: Marcus Brandt/AFP/Getty Images
Some might say that with his early and surprising successes — besides the Triplete it is worth mentioning the Champions League he won with Porto in season 2003-04 — Mourinho set the bar too high.
This might be true. However, there are still many reasons to define the Portughese coach as "The Special One."
First of all, he is not just a trainer. He is a motivator, a paternal figure for his players. The press conferences where he took the parts of his boys, defending them from the attacks of the journalists, are countless.
But that's not everything.
Mourinho loves to provoke. He thrives in those situations where the stakes are high and when he is the underdog. Just think about the maddening gesture, bringing his hand to his ear as if to increase the "booos" of Juventus' supporters when he was sitting on Manchester United bench, following a Euro League victory at the Allianz Stadium.
He might not have the tactical acumen of Guardiola, but he indeed is a commander, capable of putting the hopes and aspirations of the supporters on his shoulders.
A Chelsea fan show all his appreciation for the Portughese coach. Credits: Javier Garcia/BPI/Rex/Shutterstock
This year, Mourinho won the first edition of the Conference League with his team, Roma. It was the first time that an Italian team had won a European trophy in ten years in ten years. Guess when it was last time?
2010. Inter. Mourinho.
The fact that he still is "The Special One" is also dictated by the fact that Paris Saint Germain seems to be pushing to sign him for the next season.
However, at the moment, Mourinho seems focused solely on his adventure in Rome. He wants to give continuity to his successes and keep proving that despite the world of soccer is in constant and crazy evolution, he still holds the title of "special."