José Mourinho, a man who has managed teams across Europe’s biggest stages, recently spoke about his new role at Benfica. Even with all his experience, he admits the club keeps surprising him. It’s not just new-coach excitement, he says. He mentioned that even as an opponent, just a few months ago, he called Benfica a “giant club.” Now, being inside, he sees things that truly impress him. He shared these thoughts at the ‘Sport Lisboa e Benfica Health & Performance Congress,’ where he spoke at a session called ‘Thinking Outside the Box.’
Mourinho, now 62, feels like Benfica offers everything a coach could want. He explained that hearing about a club is one thing, but seeing and living it daily is another. He spoke about both the physical setup and the people. Many talk about the training facilities at Seixal, and he confirms they are top-notch. It’s a fantastic club, providing every tool a coach and a football team might need to succeed.
The “Special One” also noted that his approach fits perfectly with Benfica’s structure. He prefers to join clubs with a small personal staff. Then, he likes to figure out what’s truly needed before bringing in more help. At Benfica, he found he could arrive with his small group, connect with the existing team, and start working right away. He stressed the importance of building functional relationships because, simply put, Benfica already has it all.