José Mourinho has opened up about one of the biggest “what if?” moments in Manchester United’s recent history, revealing that he actually agreed to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013 before ultimately changing his mind and returning to Chelsea.
Ferguson shocked the football world in May 2013 when he announced his retirement after guiding Manchester United to their 13th Premier League title. After more than two decades of unprecedented success at Old Trafford, the club suddenly faced the daunting task of finding a manager capable of filling arguably the biggest managerial role in English football.
Mourinho, who had just left Real Madrid, was apparently the man United wanted.
According to the Portuguese coach, a deal was agreed for him to take over from Ferguson. But in the end, Mourinho could not bring himself to walk away from Chelsea, the club where he had already built a deep emotional connection.
“I think I can say because I don’t hurt anyone with the truth,” Mourinho explained in his new Netflix documentary. “When I left Real Madrid, I signed to go to Manchester United after Sir Alex.”
The opportunity was clearly an enormous one for Mourinho. Manchester United were still one of the biggest and most powerful clubs in world football, and succeeding Ferguson represented a chance to inherit a team fresh from another Premier League title.
Mourinho admitted that United’s appeal was almost impossible to ignore.
“Manchester United has an incredible appeal,” he said. “When I say Real Madrid is the biggest club in the world, I have to say that Manchester United is very, very close.”
Yet there was another factor pulling Mourinho in a different direction.
After leaving Real Madrid, he felt the need to return somewhere he knew he was genuinely loved. That place was Chelsea.
“But one thing is love for football and another thing is love for a certain club,” Mourinho said. “I think this is more powerful than love for football and, fundamentally, after Real Madrid, I needed to feel that I’m loved.”
Ferguson reveals emotional phone call
Ferguson also appears in the documentary and recalled the emotional moment when Mourinho told him he would not be taking the Manchester United job.
According to the former United boss, Mourinho called him and was in tears.
“Early evening, he phoned me and he was crying,” Ferguson recalled. “And he says: ‘Alex, I can’t take it – I’ve given my word to Chelsea and I’m not going to break my word.’”
Ferguson admitted that, although he understood Mourinho’s reasoning, he was disappointed that the Portuguese manager had decided against taking over.
The decision ultimately changed the course of both clubs.
Manchester United appointed David Moyes as Ferguson’s successor, but his reign lasted just 10 months before he was dismissed. The club then went through several managers and periods of rebuilding without returning to the sustained dominance enjoyed under Ferguson.
Mourinho, meanwhile, returned to Chelsea in 2013 and remained there until 2015. He eventually got his chance at Old Trafford, with United appointing him in 2016.
His time in Manchester lasted two and a half years and produced the League Cup, Europa League and Community Shield, but he was unable to restore United to the top of English football.
Looking back, Mourinho’s revelation adds another fascinating chapter to the story of Ferguson’s retirement. Had he honoured his original agreement, Manchester United’s post-Ferguson era might have looked very different.
For United supporters, it remains one of football’s great unanswered questions: what would have happened if José Mourinho had actually taken over from Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013?
