Picking Mourinho’s best-ever XI – how to fit in so much talent?Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho looks like has one of the best squads of his career at the moment, with the Blues starting this Premier League season in superb fashion with four wins from their first four.
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Summer signings Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa have struck up an instant partnership, providing seven goals and six assists between them to make the Blues clear favourites for the title at the moment.
However, where do they fit in in Mourinho’s best ever XI? The Portuguese coach has managed so many world class players in his career, with many greats in his first spell at Stamford Bridge and later at Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
In a slightly odd-looking 3-1-4-2 formation, here’s CaughtOffside’s effort at getting the best players Mourinho has wortked with together in one lineup!
GK) Petr Cech
Dropped by Mourinho as his Chelsea number one this season, Petr Cech is still probably the best and most reliable goalkeeper that he has worked with. The Czech Republic international is a Chelsea legend of the highest order and is unfortunate to be losing his place to a simply outstanding youngster in Thibaut Courtois.
DC) Ricardo Carvalho
A key player for Mourinho at Porto, Chelsea and Real Madrid, there’s no questioning Ricardo Carvalho’s superb contribution to the Portuguese coach’s success. A superb centre-back at his peak, Carvalho won an incredible fourteen trophies under Mourinho in total.
DC) John Terry
Chelsea’s great leader and probably the finest captain Mourinho has worked with, there simply has to be a place for John Terry in this lineup. The former England skipper is still going strong even at the age of 33, showing that he remains a hugely important part of Mourinho’s squad.
DC) Javier Zanetti
An Inter Milan legend and a player who really shone under Mourinho’s brief time at the club, versatile Argentine Javier Zanetti was part of Mourinho’s all-conquering treble-winning squad of 2009/10, putting in some heroic displays in a number of big names as the Italians became a dominant force before fading after Mourinho’s departure.
DM) Claude Makelele
Almost the ideal Mourinho player, Claude Makelele’s professionalism and commitment to protecting his back four made Chelsea rock-solid at the back as they won two titles under Mourinho in the mid-00s. The Frenchman remains a vastly under-rated talent and deserves to be remembered as one of the most accomplished midfielders of his generation.
MC) Frank Lampard
Goalscorer extraordinaire from midfield, Chelsea and Mourinho owe a huge amount of their success to the tireless performances of club legend Frank Lampard. Although his move to Manchester City this summer will have left a bitter taste, there’s no doubt he is one of the finest players to feature under Mourinho, and one of the best English football has seen in the modern era.
MC) Cesc Fabregas
Although it is only early days yet, Cesc Fabregas looks an absolutely inspired signing for Mourinho after his £30m move from Barcelona this summer. The former Arsenal captain was something of a surprise purchase, but he has slotted in perfectly into this Chelsea team and is the only player in Premier League history to notch up six assists so quickly.
MR) Cristiano Ronaldo
One of the best players in the world in recent years, Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo hit some of the best form of his career under Mourinho’s time at the Bernabeu, even if the pair did not necessarily deliver a huge amount in the way of trophies. Still, they won La Liga together in 2012 and the Portuguese winger has to be one of the best players the Blues boss has worked with.
ML) Wesley Sneijder
Moved onto the left flank for purposes of this XI, there’s no question that Wesley Sneijder, for one season at least, was an absolutely world class performer in midfield as he inspired Inter Milan to their treble-winning season in 2009/10. The Dutchman’s career may have gone downhill since, but he served Mourinho well at the San Siro and he is surely up there with his best players ever.
FC) Diego Costa
Although only a new signing, Diego Costa is well on his way to becoming the perfect Mourinho striker. The £32m arrival from Atletico Madrid has all the strength, power and goalscoring prowess to make him a Chelsea legend, and if he carries on like this he will surely prove to be the best striker Mourinho has worked with, which is some compliment considering the strong competition from the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Karim Benzema.
FC) Didier Drogba
Perhaps a player who got better after Mourinho’s departure from his first spell at Chelsea, but still a legendary figure in the Portuguese coach’s career. Didier Drogba was a star performer for the Blues earlier in his career, and won two Premier League titles under Mourinho, as well as scoring winning goals in victories in the FA Cup and League Cup in 2006/07. The Ivory Coast forward is so adored by his manager, that he was brought back to Stamford Bridge this summer even at the age of 36.
Mourinho’s best-ever XI in full: