Jose Mourinho would love to have added Lionel Messi to incredible list that includes Cristiano Ronaldo, Eden Hazard and Frank Lampard
The list of players Jose Mourinho has managed during his illustrious career is certainly a mouthwatering one.
From Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Manchester United, to Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid and Eden Hazard with Chelsea, the Special One has mentored his fair share of talent.
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But there is one notable absentee amongst these star-studded names, and Mourinho has revealed he would have loved the opportunity to work with Lionel Messi.
Speaking to TNT sports, the new Fenerbahce boss was put through his paces with a series of quick fire questions to discover his ultimate football opinions.
When asked to name the one player he wishes he had signed in his career, the 61-year-old said: "Of course I would say the little guy [Messi]. But the little guy was not coachable."
He then gushed about the Argentine hero's brilliance, adding: "But I have to say in our generation he was the best.”
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Unfortunately for Mourinho, the pair have only ever found themselves on opposing sides, and were bitter rivals during his three years at Real Madrid, as Messi starred for fierce foes Barcelona.
The iconic manager faced a much tougher choice later on in the interview, as he was quizzed on his favourite player he has worked with throughout his stellar career.
Having overseen some of world football's biggest names in his time, this would be tough question for anyone with such a CV.
And despite boasting five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo in his impressive list of former protégés, Mourinho opted to remain neutral.
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He explained: "You know, it is very hard to say.
"To speak about [John] Terry, [Frank] Lampard, [Didier] Drogba, Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, Man United, all the Inter [Milan] guys... I don't know."
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Elsewhere, he had some more entertaining responses to the more light-hearted questions, as he shared the extent of his cooking skills, revealing: "The only thing I can cook, I do amazing scrambled eggs."
Mourinho described himself as "Funny, honest and forever young," before going on to name 1936 Olympics hero Jesse Owens as the greatest sportsperson of all time.
And although his time at previous club Roma came to a difficult end after being sacked as manager in January, the Special One reserved praise for the club's supporters.
When asked which team has the best fans in the world, he said: "Old Trafford is Old Trafford, Bernabeu is Bernabeu, San Siro is San Siro, Stamford Bridge is Stamford Bridge.
"But I would say for a team not used to winning, Roma fans are so, so loyal to the team."
Having delivered silverware to his adoring fans by winning the 2023 Europa Conference League, which he called the favourite trophy of his career, Mourinho will be hoping to continue his winning habits as he prepares to begin life in the Turkish Super Lig.