A tremendous rivalry unfolded over several years between José Mourinho and Lionel Messi. The former Real Madrid coach and the ex-Barcelona player had confrontations where intensity, emotions, and football passion sometimes spilled beyond the field. It's worth noting that during this time, Mourinho was in charge of Cristiano Ronaldo, widely regarded as the best player in history and Messi's eternal "rival."

Despite the epic rivalry when Mou and Messi faced off, the Portuguese coach consistently acknowledged the Argentine's talent. In an interview on the Influencer Ohm's YouTube channel, Mou was asked about a player
he never coached but would have liked to. "For example, I could never train Lionel Messi, but nobody can train Messi. It's absurd to think you can train him because he was born with everything, and he already knows everything. Perhaps he teaches you a few things..." responded the Portuguese coach.

The former Porto coach also mentioned two specific players he would have liked during his time at Inter and Real Madrid: "I wanted Daniele De Rossi at Inter and Real Madrid, but it wasn't possible. I also wanted Francesco Totti at Inter, despite his age at that time, but it couldn't happen either. These are players I always wanted in my career."

“The Special One” is considered one of the best coaches globally for his achievements and football knowledge. He had the opportunity to lead prominent players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, Samuel Eto'o, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, among others.