The 60-year-old has raked in a lot of money along the way too – it’s reported that in payouts alone, he has made more than £80million from his many sackings.

The Portuguese legend was pictured in tears after departing Roma, a two-and-a-half-year stint that ended two days after their striker Andrea Belotti said the team had “hit rock bottom” when they lost 3-1 to AC Milan last Sunday.

"Sweat, blood, tears, joy, sadness, love, brothers, history, heart, eternity,” Mourinho posted on his Instagram after being sacked by Roma (reported payout: £3m) – a message to the fans who had supported him passionately during his time in the Italian capital.

In his illustrious career as a manager, Mourinho has now won 26 major trophies including two Champions League and three Premier League titles.

Here, Vodacom Soccer looks back on his rarely dull career as a manager, and asks: where could he end up next?

On the map with Porto

After famously starting his career as (among other things) Bobby Robson’s interpreter at Barcelona, Mourinho’s first breakout managerial job came at Porto (2002-2004). He averaged 2.32 points per match and notched up 91 wins in 127 games – including, most impressively, the 2004 Champions League final (a 3-0 win over Monaco), which instantly put the Portuguese prodigy on the map of every European super club.

In the summer of 2004, Mourinho became the first Portuguese manager in the Premier League when Roman Abramovich signed him for Chelsea despite Mourinho having previously said that “Chelsea does not interest me so much”.

Instantly coining himself “the Special One”, Mourinho showed the unbreakable self-belief he is now famous for. In this first stint at Chelsea, Mourinho averaged 2.23 points per game, winning 124 of his 185 games, two Premier League titles and a League Cup.

Mourinho’s first league title was also Chelsea’s first for 50 years, and his tactical prowess was demonstrated by Chelsea conceding only 15 league goals all season. Reported Chelsea payoff: £18million.

From London to Milan

After three years in London and a falling out with Abramovich, Mourinho moved to Inter Milan. The Portuguese only lasted 108 games at the San Siro, but this was a memorable time for Inter fans.

He won Serie A two years in a row and, most famously, the Champions League in 2010.

This was among his shortest stints as a manager but also one of the most memorable.

Ciao Milan, Hola Madrid

At Real Madrid from 2010, Mourinho’s record was again outstanding, winning 128 of his 178 games for an average tally of 2.3 points per match.

Despite having a team boasting legends such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos, he only lasted two and a half years – but still managed to win La Liga over Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Barcelona. Reported Real Madrid payoff: £17million.

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Guess who’s back?

Mourinho then chose to return to England again, managing Chelsea from 2013 until 2015 and picking up another Premier League title and League Cup.

He managed the London club for 136 games, having a points per game of 1.96 and win percentage of 58.8%.

But in his third season, he had only gained 12 points from his first 11 Premier League games when he left Chelsea again in December 2015, this time “by mutual consent”. Reported Chelsea payoff: £8.3million

Mourinho in Manchester

In May 2016, Mourinho took over at Manchester United, where he brought home a Europa League and League Cup trophy (which now looks a pretty creditable record) before being sacked in December 2018 – having recently described himself as “one of the greatest managers in the world”. Points per game record: 1.97. Reported Man Utd payoff: £19.6million.

Trophyless at Tottenham

But Mourinho’s love affair with England still wasn’t over. In November 2019 he took over at Tottenham, where he was to endure his first trophyless spell as a manager since 2002 – although he was questionably dismissed just two days before they were set to face Manchester City in the 2021 League Cup final.

In charge for just 86 games, Spurs was Mourinho’s career low in management, achieving a win percentage of just 51.1%. Reported Spurs payoff: £15million.

Now, having only just left Roma, the rumours of his next likely appointment are already beginning to swirl (always helped by having fellow Portuguese superagent Jorge Mendes working for you). Here are some of the possible candidates for his next managerial role:

Napoli

Napoli are not having the season they were hoping for, after winning their first scudetto last year since 1989/90.

Currently sitting in eighth place in the Serie A table, Mendes has reportedly contacted Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis. Could a return to Serie A at a third different team now be on the cards?

Saudi Arabia

Mourinho is not a stranger to large contracts, and Saudi Arabia is the place handing them out regularly at the moment. The top teams in the Saudi Pro League are always looking to add another superstar to their roster, so who better than the Special One?

Newcastle

A surprise return to the Premier League may not be out of the question. Newcastle's recent influx of money means they would be able to match Mourinho's sizeable contract request – coupled with the fact that Eddie Howe is not having the best of seasons.

Mourinho has been quoted in the past saying he “feels a connection with the club through Mr [Bobby] Robson”.

Porto

An unlikely return to the scene of his first Champions League triumph may also be on the cards.

The Portuguese giants are not dominating the Primeira Liga as they have in the past, with rivals Benfica having won the title twice in the last three years.

Mourinho is eternally loved in Porto, so a return to where it all started should not be ruled out.

England

There are a few international teams on the lookout for a new manager, especially with the 2024 European Championship meaning some likely high-profile changes immediately afterwards. While Portugal is the obvious choice being Mourinho's place of birth, Roberto Martinez is doing a decent job there, helping them to qualify for the Euros.

Instead, England could also be an interesting destination for Mourinho to consider. It’s reported that the FA has already been looking for managers to replace Gareth Southgate after the Euros, and the quality of the current England squad – coupled with his fondness for English football – would make it hard for Mourinho to look the other way.

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