Jose Mourinho has disclosed that he verbally agreed to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson as manager of Manchester United in 2013, a decision he later reversed in favor of returning to Chelsea. The revelation comes from Mourinho's new Netflix docu-series, titled "MOURINHO."
Ferguson confirmed in the documentary that he had indeed offered the managerial position to Mourinho, who had just departed Real Madrid. "I sat him down and explained the situation, and as far as I was concerned, he was accepting," Ferguson stated. "And then within hours, it changed."
Mourinho explained that after leaving Real Madrid, he had signed an agreement to manage Manchester United. However, he ultimately chose to return to his former club, Chelsea, citing a profound emotional connection. "I was of course very flattered because Man United has an incredible appeal," Mourinho said. "But one thing is love for football, and another thing is love for a certain club. I think this is more powerful than love for football, and fundamentally after Real Madrid, I needed to feel that I'm loved."
Mourinho described the decision to forgo the opportunity to succeed Ferguson as dramatic but one he does not regret, calling it a choice made "with my heart" and referencing philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's idea that "when you do something for love, you are never doing anything wrong."
Ferguson recounted that Mourinho called him in tears to explain his change of heart. "He said, 'I can’t take it, I’ve given my word to Chelsea, and I’m not going to break my word,'" Ferguson recalled. "The reason he gave to me, I can understand, but I was disappointed."
Mourinho's tenure at Real Madrid was reportedly difficult, with reports of friction between the coach and several players. The documentary describes the dressing room atmosphere as a "nightmare" at times.
Mourinho went on to manage Chelsea for two seasons, winning a Premier League title and a League Cup. He eventually managed Manchester United from 2016 to 2018, securing a League Cup and a Europa League title in his first season, but was dismissed in his third season due to poor results and player conflicts.
David Moyes, who was initially believed to be Ferguson's chosen successor, lasted only nine months in the role. Manchester United has not won a Premier League title since Ferguson's departure in 2013.