LISBON, Portugal (AP) — José Mourinho will coach in Portugal again two decades later, promising a more mature and less egocentric version of himself.
Benfica reached a deal with Mourinho on Thursday, sealing his return to the country 21 years after he led rival Porto to the Champions League title in 2004.
The coach was officially introduced in a news conference, and later in the day was set to oversee the squad in a practice session. His contract is until the end of the 2026-27 season but he and the club have a non-renewal option at the end of this season.
Mourinho branded himself as the “Special One” during the peak years of his career during his first spell at Chelsea from 2004-07, and now he says people can expect a different personality.
“Today I think a lot more about the others. I’m last in line. I’m here to serve,” he said. “I’m at a completely different moment as far as maturity. I’m not important. I’m more altruistic, less egocentric. I don’t think about me as much. I think more about what I can do for others.”
The 62-year-old Mourinho said the only thing that hasn’t changed was his “desire to always win the next match.” He said returning to Benfica does not mean an intention to retire soon.
“I’ll only stop when I feel that something has changed,” he said, “and today I feel that I am hungrier than I was 25 years ago.”
Mourinho started his coaching career at Benfica in 2000 but lasted only three months before leaving in a contract dispute.
“I’m now the coach of one of the greatest clubs in the world,” he said. “None of the other giant clubs that I coached in the world made me feel so honored and motivated as I am now as the coach of Benfica.”
He said it’s normal that not all Benfica fans were happy with his signing, and expected a “different” welcome by Porto fans when Benfica plays at its rival in October.
“The respect I have for them and that they have for me won’t change, but I’ll be back as the coach of their greatest rival,” Mourinho said.
Back in the Champions League
It has been five years since he was last in the Champions League, since a round-of-16 exit while coaching Tottenham in 2020. Mourinho also won the Champions League with Inter Milan in 2010.
He won the third-tier Conference League with Roma in 2022, but his time at the Italian club from 2021-24 was marked by squabbles that resurfaced in his brief and chaotic spell with Fenerbahce in Turkey.
His stint with Fenerbahce came to an end last month after the Turkish club was eliminated by Benfica in a qualifying playoff of the Champions League.
Benfica fired coach Bruno Lage on Wednesday, a day after the team’s 3-2 home loss to Qarabag in the Champions League. Benfica squandered a two-goal lead in front of its fans.
Club president Rui Costa fired Lage citing poor results recently. Benfica drew with 10-man Santa Clara 1-1 in the Portuguese league last Friday.
Costa said it was a matter of great pride to have Mourinho back with the club.
“We wanted a coach who was a winner and we likely would not find one with a greater resume than Mourinho’s,” Costa said. “The club wanted it to happen and Mourinho wanted it to happen, that made it easier for us to reach a deal.”
Benfica’s next match is on Saturday in the Portuguese league at AVS. Its next Champions League game is at Chelsea on Sept. 30.
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