José Mourinho reflects on leaving Real Madrid in 2013, revealing regrets over rejecting Florentino Pérez’s advice to stay longer.
José Mourinho, reflecting on his illustrious career, has admitted that leaving Real Madrid in 2013 to rejoin Chelsea remains one of his biggest regrets.
Speaking to *Corriere dello Sport*, Mourinho shared how Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez tried to persuade him to stay. "He told me: ‘Don’t leave now, you’ve done the hard part, and the good part is yet to come. Stay at Real Madrid.’" Despite the advice, Mourinho opted to return to Chelsea, citing his desire for a change after enduring "three tough years in Spain."
Mourinho’s tenure at Real Madrid, from 2010 to 2013, was both successful and turbulent. Under his leadership, the team claimed the 2011 Copa del Rey, breaking a drought in the competition that had lasted nearly two decades. His crowning achievement came in the 2011–2012 season when Real Madrid won La Liga, setting records with 100 points and 121 goals. He also secured the Supercopa de España in 2012. However, Mourinho’s time was marked by fierce rivalries, particularly with Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, and internal conflicts that strained relationships within the club.
Despite these challenges, Mourinho acknowledges the significance of his accomplishments at Real Madrid and regrets not heeding Pérez’s advice. "Saying no to Florentino Pérez remains one of the big regrets of my career," he admitted. This decision highlights the complex nature of his journey as one of football’s most decorated and polarizing managers.
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