For nearly a decade, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo starred in epic battles in La Liga between Barcelona and Real Madrid. During part of that rivalry, Jose Mourinho served as head coach of Los Blancos and, despite those intense years, he has now picked the Argentine forward as someone very important to him.
In a recent interview with SportyNet, Mourinho was asked which player helped him grow the most as a coach throughout his professional career. Surprisingly, Jose didn’t choose any of the stars he coached—Ronaldo included—but rather a rival.
“Messi,” Mou responded after taking a few seconds to consider the question. He immediately explained why he picked the Barcelona legend. “Because every time I faced him, he forced me to think a lot,” said the Portuguese coach.
The first Messi vs. Mourinho matchups
The early clashes between Messi and Mourinho left a mark on 21st-century soccer. Their first meetings came during Messi’s early years, in the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League, when he faced Chelsea—then managed by Jose.
Lionel Messi of Barcelona smiles backdropped by Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho on November 24, 2009.
After Messi stood out at Stamford Bridge and drew a red card for Asier Del Horno, Mou aimed ironic comments at him. “What can we do? Are we going to suspend Messi for acting? Yes, he acted. Catalonia is a country of culture, and they know what theater is… it was good theater,” the coach said at the time, writing the first chapter in his long story with the Argentine star.
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Years later, Mourinho got his revenge by eliminating Messi’s Barcelona from the Champions League while leading Inter Milan to the European title. In that clash, the coach crafted a defensive system that managed to contain Leo like few others had.
Mourinho at Real Madrid vs. Messi
In 2010, Real Madrid hired Mourinho in an effort to counter Barcelona’s dominance under Pep Guardiola. What followed was a three-year stint during which every Clasico felt like a war on the pitch, with Messi as the main target for opposing players.
However, by the end of those three seasons, the results strongly favored Leo. Barcelona won two of the three La Liga titles and, most notably, eliminated Real Madrid in the 2011 Champions League semifinals on their way to defeating Manchester United in the final.
Mourinho chose Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo
Mourinho’s answer—choosing Messi as the player who helped him grow the most—came as a surprise considering his close relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo. The two worked together for three years at Real Madrid, with CR7 as the team’s undisputed star during that time.
But that’s not all. If Mourinho’s main reason for choosing Messi was the challenge of facing him as an opponent, he could have also chosen Ronaldo. Between 2004 and 2007, Mourinho coached Chelsea in the Premier League and frequently faced Ronaldo at Manchester United. Yet, it seems the Portuguese forward didn’t pose the same tactical challenge as Messi.
