‘Truly special’: Emotional Mourinho revels in more European glory
JOSE Mourinho, football’s selfdubbed “Special One,” basked in the glory of becoming only the second manager to win five major European titles after leading his AS Roma side to the Europa Conference League title Wednesday.
Mourinho also became the third coach to lift trophies in three European competitions, joining Udo Lattek and Giovanni Trapattoni who won the Champions Cup, UEFA Cup (now Europa League) and the now-defunct Cup Winners’ Cup. Trappatoni also has five continental titles overall.
The Portuguese, who had previously won the Champions League, Europa League and the UEFA Cup, completed the unique European trophy haul as Roma beat Feyenoord 1-0 in Tirana to ensure he could add the inaugural Conference League to his collection.
That is five European finals for Porto, Inter Milan, Manchester United and Roma since 2003 that Mourinho has coached in and five times he has taken
home the trophy. “The great thing about my career is that, aside from the Europa League with Manchester United, doing it with Porto, Inter and Roma is very, very, very special,” Mourinho said.
“It is one thing to win when everyone expects it, when you made the investments
to win, but it’s quite another to win when something feels immortal, that feels truly special.
“This remains in the history of Roma, but also mine. I was told only I, Sir Alex (Ferguson) and Giovanni Trapattoni won trophies in three different decades. It makes me feel a little old, but it’s nice for my career.”
It represented a fine end to his first season in the Italian capital for Mourinho, having steered his side to a sixth-placed finish in Serie A this term.
The Portuguese has no plans to seek new challenges, as he is already looking to next season with the club.
“Now I am staying, there are no doubts,” Mourinho added. “Even if some rumors emerge, I only want to remain at Roma.
“We must understand what our owners, who are fantastic people, want to do next season because this is history, but we can build a really strong project with honest professionals.
“Of course, I feel like a Romanista, but that might be my way of working. I am a Porto fan, an Inter fan, a Chelsea fan, I am crazy about Real Madrid, I am now a Roma fan, I belong to all those clubs because we had these moments together.”