Mourinho and Fenerbahce - Promise, Pressure, Problems

Jose Mourinho is one of the all-time greats when it comes to football managers, having won everything in Europe and cementing himself as one of the faces of modern football. When you think of football coaches, the Portuguese is one of the first names that comes to mind. Having said, that doesn't mean that his career has always been a bed of roses, and his short stint at Turkish giants Fenerbahce is a prime example of that.

The "Special One" arrived at Istanbul after a very complicated time at RomaAS Roma in Serie A, with a lot of ups and downs, so Fenerbahce was seeing a step down. However, there was a chance of a comeback, although that didn't prove to be the case.

This is the story of Jose Mourinho's time at Fenerbahce.

The Context

Mourinho's time at Roma had a lot of upheaval, but he managed to win the 2021/22 UEFA Conference League and lost the 2022/23 UEFA Europa League final. On the other hand, he struggled and, ultimately, failed to qualify the Italian team for the UEFA Champions League, getting sacked in the early days of the 2023/24 season.

However, by the summer of 2024, he was in Istanbul for his unveiling with Fenerbahce, with a huge crowd of supporters. His presentation went viral online and his words even more so.

"I want to thank you for your love," Mourinho told the crowd at his unveiling in the summer of 2024, as per The Guardian. "Normally a coach is loved after victories. In this case I feel that I am loved before the victories. That for me is a big responsibility that I feel."

"I promise you from this moment, I belong to your family. This shirt is my skin. Football is passion, and there is no better place [than here] to feel that passion. Since the moment I met the president, I wanted to play for you because you are the soul of the football club. I want to be the coach of all of you."

The Results

Despite investment, Mourinho only remained for one season in Turkish football and didn't manage the club's fortunes. A lot of people don't know that, as of this writing, Fenerbahce haven't won the league since the 2013/14 season and the "Special One" didn't manage to change that.

Furthermore, the team failed to win in three matches against lifelong rivals Galatasaray and also lost the two matches against Besiktas. It was a frustrating period for everyone involved, especially regarding the Portuguese's statements about the state of Turkish football and the constant issues that the league has had throughout the years.

"This is not about sports rivalry," he said to Sky Sports in an interview in March of 2025. "This is much bigger than what people can imagine. If you live here, or try to dig deep, you find unbelievable things."

"We have found a good stability (on the pitch) but everybody knows in this country that, if things don't change, it is impossible to win (the league title). I raise my voice in defense of my club and in the defense of Turkish football, because this is a beautiful country. But the football here has to be more than this."

His stint with Fenerbahce was mostly remembered for the incidents that took place at the time, such as showcasing an offside to the referees with his laptop, citing his connection with African football when he was accused of racism by Galatasaray, and also several clashes with the referees, such as when he was sent off against his former team, Manchester United, during the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League.

"I had three clubs in England, so four different periods I've coached in England, and I love it," he said to Sky Sports in 2024. "And by the social point of view, I've been lucky enough to live in so many cities, but my family lives in London. London is home, so one day I have to be back, unless no one wants me. But one day I would like to go back. But don't get me wrong, and let's make it very very clear, for the next two years, this season and next, no one will take me from Fenerbahce."

Well, regarding that last part, that wasn't going to last very long.

The Aftermath

Ultimately, Mourinho would be sacked at the beginning of the 2025/26 season when they were eliminated in the playoffs of the UEFA Champions League, losing to Benfica. When considering that he didn't get the team to win the league the previous season and were not going to get the Champions League, this seemed like bound to happen.

However, a lot of people didn't expect Mourinho to suddenly return to Portuguese football and to Benfica, of all places. Not only the team that eliminated Fenerbahce, but also the team where he started his career so many years ago and the club he betrayed a few years as he signed for lifelong rivals Porto.

Furthermore, Mourinho had no problem expressing his feelings regarding his tenure with Fenerbahce.

"I made a mistake by going to Fenerbahçe," Mourinho said as Benfica manager in 2025. "It wasn't my level, both in term of football & culturally. Of course, I gave everything until the very last day. Coaching Benfica is returning to my level. And my level is coaching the biggest clubs in the world."

"We always want to win; we can't lose like we did two days ago. That's not Benfica. Benfica is the team that played 30 minutes against Fenerbahce, the team that played in Istanbul with a man down and managed to get a positive result. This is the Benfica I identify with."

Ultimately, Jose Mourinho's time at Fenerbahce would prove to be a frustrating period in his career. He didn't manage to win any trophies and mostly underperformed, especially with the many issues that have been harming Turkish football for a while.

There are matches made in heaven and this was certainly not that.