2 April 2011 - All Good Things Come To An End, Even For Mourinho

On 2 April 2011, Sporting de Gijon ended José Mourinho's remarkable home league unbeaten streak after nine years and 150 matches.

The last time a Mourinho-managed team lost a league match at home was on 23 February 2002 when Beira Mar beat Mourinho's Porto side 2-3 at the Estádio das Antas. Since then, he had gone undefeated at home in the league with both Chelsea (2004-08) and Inter (2008-10).

After joining Real Madrid in May 2010, his streak continued through most of his first season. Few people suspected it would end at the hands of Sporting de Gijon, who were sitting in the table's fifteenth spot and had won only one away game all season before arriving at the Bernabéu to face second-place Real Madrid.

But the hosts were missing two key strikers in Cristiano Ronaldo, then the league's joint-top scorer, and Karim Benzema, as well as defender Marcelo, all of whom were injured. After a scoreless 78 minutes, the visitors broke the deadlock with a 79th-minute goal from midfielder Miguel de las Cuevas (pictured) and the hosts were unable to find an equalizer. Afterward, Mourinho went into the visitors' dressing room to congratulate the team on their win.

Having gone for so long without losing a league game at home, Mourinho's next home loss came quickly, as Real Madrid lost to Real Zaragoza four weeks later.

1 June 2003 - Porto Eighty-Sixes The League

On 1 June 2003, Porto earned their league-record 86th point, beating Sporting 2-0 on the last day of the season.

The win capped an incredible season for Porto, who lost only twice and drew five times in 34 league matches. They took the table's top spot in September and held onto it for the duration to claim their 19th league title, but the first since 1999. It was also the first league title for new manager José Mourinho, who joined the club midway through the previous season.

The win over Sporting lifted Porto to 86 points--a Portuguese top-flight record. Benfica had a better season in 1972-73, winning 28 and drawing 2 of their 30 matches, but the league awarded only two points for a win at that time, so Benfica finished with 58 points. Under a three-point system, they would have finished with 86 points as well, despite having played four fewer games.

Porto's success that year extended beyond the league, as they also won the UEFA Cup, Portuguese Cup, and Portuguese Supercup.

23 March 2009 - He's Dr. Special One Now

On 23 March 2009, the Technical University of Lisbon awarded an honorary doctorate to manager José Mourinho in recognition of his professional success. It is one of 30 individual accolades received by Mourniho during his managerial career.

He had graduated from the university almost 20 years earlier with a five-year degree in sports science. His mother had enrolled him in a business administration program, but Mournho dropped out after the first day and decided to concentrate on sport instead. According to his mother, he went through the physical education program "like a bullet, with excellent marks."

Upon graduation, he took coaching programs offered by the English and Scottish FAs with an eye toward becoming a manager. He got his start as the youth team coach for his hometown club, Vitória de Setúbal, then moved his way up the ladder to take his first head coaching position with Benfica in September 2000.

Since then, he has established himself as one of football's greatest managers with stints at UD Leiria (2001-02), Porto (2002-04), Chelsea (2004-07), Inter (2008-10), and his current club, Real Madrid. Along the way, he has collected a massive haul of silverware that includes six league championships and two Champions League titles. Individually, he has won several manager of the year awards, including the UEFA Manager of the Year (2003, 2004) and the International Sports Press Association Best Manager of the Year award (2010).

23 December 2006 - United Teach Mourinho A Special Lesson

On 23 December 2006, Manchester United scored their 2000th goal under Sir Alex Ferguson, delivered by Cristiano Ronaldo in a 0-3 trouncing of Aston Villa.

United started the day at the top of the table, 2 points clear of second-place Chelsea, whose manager, José Mourinho, had predicted that United would not top the table at Christmas. Despite the pressure to get all three points, Ferguson rested star striker Wayne Rooney in favor of Louis Saha, playing alongside wingers Ronaldo and Ji Sung Park in a 4-3-3 formation. That decision looked questionable in the first half, as Saha failed to ignite United's anemic attack.

But as Ferguson prepared to bring Rooney on in the second half, Ronaldo completed a dashing 50-yard run then unleashed a fierce shot in the 58th minute. Villa defender Gary Cahill managed to block it, but failed to control the ball which landed at Ronaldo's feet for an easy goal--United's 2,000th under Ferguson. Paul Scholes added a second in the 64th minute before Ronaldo completed the rout with another in the 85th minute.

The win secured United's position at the top of the table for Christmas; indeed, they remained in first for the remainder of the season to capture their 16th league title.

21 May 2003 - Mourinho's Stepping Stone

On 21 May 2003, Porto won the UEFA Cup, beating Celtic 3-2 in extra time at Seville's Estadio Olímpico. It was the first international honor for Porto manager José Mourinho, who built on the success by winning the Champions League the next season.

Under normal circumstances, Celtic would have been heavy favorites. But, at the time of the match, Porto had already secured the Portuguese Liga title with two matches to spare and were completely focused on the Final. Celtic, meanwhile, were tied on points with SPL leader Rangers, but behind on goal differential with one match left. In addition, the day's hot weather forced the teams to play at a slower pace, which also favored Porto.

Porto's midfield general Deco orchestrated a first-half attack that put his side ahead in the 45th minute as midfielder Dmitri Alenichev's shot was parried by Celtic keep Robert Douglas into the path of Porto's Brazilin forward, Derlei, who drove it home. The lead did not last long, however, as Henrik Larsson - that year's top SPL scorer - equalized with a 47th-minute header. It was his tenth goal of the tournament and his 200th goal for Celtic.

Two more quick goals followed, with Alenichev putting Porto ahead once more in the 54th minute, then Larsson finding another equalizer in the 57th minute. The teams were stalemated at 2-2 through the end of regulation, forcing the match into extra time and triggering the silver goal rule. The Final was the first match played under the silver goal rule, which meant that a lead for either side after the first half of extra time would end the match. As it turned out, though, neither team scored in the first period, so they played the full allotment of time. In the 115th minute, Derlei again pounced on a Douglas block to score the goal and seal the win.

It was Porto's first European trophy in 16 years, but they would not have to wait as long for the next one, as they beat AS Monaco in the next season's Champions League Final. Celtic, meanwhile, went on to lose the SPL title race to Rangers despite winning their last match 4-0, as Rangers won theirs 6-1.

6 April 2005 - Mourinho Gets Away Clean

On 6 April 2005, Chelsea manager José Mourinho - already well-known as a quirky and controversial figure - added to his growing legend by cleverly defying a UEFA ban instituted for Chelsea's Champions League quarterfinal match-up against Bayern Munich.

Chelsea had played Barcelona in the previous round, losing the first leg 2-1 on 23 February. Afterward, Mourinho publicly accused Barça manager Frank Rijkaard of influencing the match by allegedly entering the dressing room of referee Anders Fisk at halftime. The accusation was so explosive that Frisk received a number of death threats, leading to his premature retirement on 12 March. Less than two weeks later, UEFA dismissed Chelsea's complaint and subsequently found Mourinho guilty of bringing the game into disrepute, issuing a two-match ban from the touchline and the dressing room.

When Bayern arrived at Stamford Bridge on 6 April, however, there were signs that Mourniho was present. Chelsea's fitness coach, Rui Faria, appeared to be wearing an earpiece covered by a heavy woolen hat, while their goalkeeping coach, Silvinho Louro, made several second-half trips to the dressing room, returning with pieces of paper that he handed out to the other coaches, with substitutions shortly following.

Years later, insiders reported that Mourinho had been smuggled into the Chelsea dressing room by hiding in a laundry basket. He spoke to his team during the break, then snuck back out after the match using the same laundry basket. The plan apparently worked, as Chelsea won 4-2 and Mourinho never faced any consequences for violating the ban.

23 February 2002 - Mourinho Home Losses Are Like A Good Steak - Rare

On 23 February 2002, visitors Beira Mar defeated hosts Porto 2-3 in a Portuguese top flight league match. It was Porto's first home loss under new manager José Mourinho, who had taken charge the previous month. It would also be Mourinho's last home loss in a league match to date, a run that extends from his time at Porto through his tenure at Chelsea and continues at Inter.

While generally regarded as a footnote to Mourinho's record, the match itself was an exciting one. Porto played a man down for most of it, as defender Jorge Andrade was red carded in the 25th minute for a challenge on Beira Mar midfielder Bruno Ribeiro on the edge of the box. Cristiano Rocho scored with the ensuing free kick to put the visitors ahead 1-0. But despite being down to 10 men, Porto equalized with a 42nd-minute goal from striker Benni McCarthy.

Beira Mar striker Fary Faye, who had come on a substitute at the start of the second half, restored the lead for his side in the 51st minute. The situation then got worse for Porto, as midfielder Deco received a second yellow card and was sent off in the 74th minute, reducing the hosts to nine men. Amazingly, however, Mourinho's undermanned Porto again equalized, this time with a 82nd minute goal from midfielder Carlos Paredes. But in the dying moments, Beira Mar overran Porto's depleted midfield, allowing Fary to score his second goal of the match in the 85th minute to give his side the 2-3 win.

Mourinho remained with Porto through the 2003-04 season, before moving to Chelsea in June 2004. After leaving Chelsea in September 2007, he took some time off before moving to Inter in June 2008. His unbeaten run includes 66 matches at Chelsea, setting a Premier League record that the club extended to 86 under Mourinho's successors Avram Grant (2007-08) and Luiz Felipe Scolari (2008-09). Porto's streak, meanwhile, ended eleven matches into the 2004-05 season with a 1-0 loss to Boavista on 20 November. It was their sixth home match under new manager Victor Fernández.

[Update: Mourinho's unbeaten home record ended at 150 matches on 2 April 2011, when his Real Madrid team lost to Sporting de Gijón.]

26 January 1963 - The Special One's Special Day

On 26 January 1963, celebrated manager and self-annointed "Special One" José Mourinho was born in Setúbal, Portugal.

After a brief and undistinguished career as a footballer in his native Portugal, Mourinho turned to management, where he enjoyed quick success. He got his first break in 1992 as translator for Bobby Robson, then at Sporting in Lisbon. After spells as an assistant at Porto and Barcelona, and brief periods in charge at Benfica and Leiria, Mourinho moved to Porto in 2002 where he became an international name.

Under Mourinho, Porto won the 2004 Champions League, beating Monaco 3-0 in the Final. In June 2004, Mourinho moved to Chelsea where, in his first press conference, he announced that he thought he was "a special one." He backed up the statement by winning the Premier League title in his first season, Chelsea's first title in 50 years. They repeated as champions in Mourinho's second season.

After winning the FA Cup in May 2007, Mourinho suddenly resigned shortly after the start of the following season amid conflicts with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich over staffing decisions and player purchases. He took the year off from football, then joined Inter in June 2008, winning the Serie A title in his first season in Italy.

Mourinho is closing in on a remarkable run of eight years without a home loss. His last defeat at home was on 23 February 2002, when Porto lost 3-2 to Beira-Mar.

[2011 Update: Mourinho moved to Real Madrid in May 2010. There, his unbeaten home streak ended on 2 April 2011 with a loss to Sporting de Gijón.]

20 September 2007 - The Special One Has Left The Building

On 20 September 2007, Chelsea manager José Mourinho left the club "by mutual consent." The move was unexpected and reportedly was precipitated by confrontations between Mourinho and club owner Roman Abramovich.

Mourinho joined Chelsea in June 2004 from Porto. He had just completed a string of successes at the Portuguese club, including a 3-0 win over Monaco in the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final the previous month. In an early press conference with Chelsea, he told reporters "I'm European champion and I think I'm a special one," which led to the press giving him the nickname "The Special One."

The nickname proved well-earned, as Chelsea won the Premier League in each of their first two seasons under the often-controversial Mourinho--a remarkable feat for a club who won their last (and only prior) league title in the 1954-55 season. And before his departure, Mourinho had won every other domestic trophy available to him: the FA Cup (2007), the League Cup (2005, 2007), and the FA Community Shield (2005).

His relationship with Abramovich was strained from the beginning, however. The owner acquired Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko from Milan over Mourinho's objections and Shevchenko's playing time, or lack thereof, became a point of contention. Abramovich also installed Avram Grant as Director of Football, again over Mourinho's objections. Tensions were increased when the Blues struggled at the beginning of the 2007-08 season, losing away to Aston Villa and drawing at home to Blackburn Rovers. The final straw for Mourinho was a 1-1 home draw with Norway's Rosenborg in Chelsea's opening Champions League match on 18 September 2007. Mourinho left the club three days later.

He was succeeded by Avram Grant, who led the Blues to the Champions League Final, but lost to Manchester United. Chelsea also finished runners-up to United in the league and to Tottenham in the League Cup, but finished the season without winning any silverware.

In June 2008, after a season out of football, Mourinho signed with Serie A champions Inter and retained the Scudetto in his first season.