Jose Mourinho Says Managing Real Madrid Was 'The Best Memory of My Career'

Jose Mourinho has described his spell in charge of Real Madrid as "the best memory" of his managerial career so far.

The Portuguese is one of the most successful coaches of his generation, having enjoyed success in two spells with Chelsea, as well as Porto, Inter Milan and Manchester United.

Mourinho also had a three-year spell at Real Madrid, where he helped the team to one La Liga title and one Copa del Rey.

Speaking to Portuguese TV channel 11 (h/t Marca), the 56-year-old said he thinks back fondly on his time at the Santiago Bernabeu:

"Real Madrid was my best experience because of what I learned as a coach, as a man, from the lessons I took in my career and in my life. It's the best memory of my career, it was fantastic.

"What they asked me to do at Real Madrid suited my nature. They told me that we had the best team in the world on the other side, that they were crushing us, and we had to reverse the situation."

The Spanish Football Podcast shared more from Mourinho's interview, including the thought process behind making a move to La Liga:

The team Mourinho referenced as the "best team in the world" was Barcelona. Los Blancos' great rivals were the dominant force in Spain at the time, excelling under the guidance of manager Pep Guardiola.

Mourinho and the then-Barcelona boss formed a spiky rivalry during their time together in La Liga before Guardiola left the Blaugrana in 2012. Mourinho departed Real Madrid the following year.

Prior to his stint at Real Madrid, Mourinho won the treble with Inter Milan, culminating in UEFA Champions League success at the Santiago Bernabeu against Bayern Munich. He won the same prize in 2004 when the Portuguese's Porto side stunned the rest of European football.

In England, Mourinho won three Premier League titles in two spells with Chelsea. In his previous role at Manchester United, he struggled and was sacked by the club in December 2018 having steered the team to their worst start to a Premier League season. Mourinho hasn't been in a job since.

Speaking to the Coaches' Voice, he outlined what he is looking for from his next role:

As Spanish football journalist Colin Millar relayed, reports have suggested he remains highly thought of at the Bernabeu:

After sacking Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari last season, Madrid appointed Zinedine Zidane for a second spell in charge. Given the Frenchman's previous success—winning three Champions Leagues—and the fact he has been backed with significant transfer funds ahead of the season, it feels unlikely there will be a vacancy in Madrid any time soon.

Mourinho will surely be itching to get back into management again, though, and will hope the recent spell away from coaching will rejuvenate him for his next challenge.