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Jose Mourinho didn't hesitate when naming the best three footballers in history

Home> Football> Football News

Updated 14:57 9 Sep 2024 GMT+1Published 14:54 9 Sep 2024 GMT+1

Jose Mourinho didn't hesitate when naming the best three footballers in history

Jose Mourinho named three legends as his best three players ever.

Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar

Jose Mourinho once named his top THREE players in history as he surprisingly left out Cristiano Ronaldo.

Mourinho is regarded as one of the best managers of his generation following his success at Porto, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester United.

He's won domestic titles and cups in England, Italy and Spain, not to mention winning the Champions League with two different clubs (Porto and Inter).

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But who does Mourinho rate as the greatest players of all-time?

Well, in a shock omission, he failed to name his fellow countryman Ronaldo, who's widely considered as one of the best players ever as he enhanced his legendary status after surpassing 900 career goals.

Mourinho, however, opted for Ronaldo's on-field rival Lionel Messi as well as the late, great pair Diego Maradona and Pele.

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Speaking back in 2016, he revealed: "For me the top three players in history are Messi, Pele and Maradona."

Jose Mourinho did not name Cristiano Ronaldo when selecting his three greatest footballers in history. Image: Getty
Jose Mourinho did not name Cristiano Ronaldo when selecting his three greatest footballers in history. Image: Getty

Despite Ronaldo's success for club and country, he failed to make Mourinho's list, but he may have changed his opinion following the 39-year-old's recent achievement.

The Portuguese superstar has won the Champions League an impressive five times and has five Ballon d'Ors to his name.

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At international level, he helped his national team to European Championship glory in 2016.

Messi, on the other hand, has won a record eight Ballon d'Or titles and enjoyed an iconic spell at Barcelona, where he scored a staggering 672 goals in 778 appearances across all competitions, notably winning the Champions League on four occasions.

Mourinho coached Ronaldo during his time in charge of Real, but has never managed Messi.

The 61-year-old, however, referenced Ronaldo when discussing the best players he had the chance to work with.

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He said: "You know, it is very hard to say, to speak about [John] Terry, [Frank] Lampard, [Didier] Drogba, Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, Man United, all the Inter guys, I don't know."

Featured Image Credit: Getty/YouTube/SmartSoft

Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Diego Maradona, Football, Lionel Messi, Pele, Jose Mourinho

Nasir Jabbar
Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar is a journalist at SPORTbible. He graduated from Bath Spa University with a BA in Media Communications. He's a combat sport aficionado and has contributed to MMA websites AddictedMMA and CagePotato. Nasir has covered some of the biggest fights, while interviewing the likes of Conor McGregor, Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Darren Till. He's also an avid Bristol City fan.

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@NasJabbar

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