On a warm night in Tirana, at Arena Kombëtare, Roma found their moment in the sun. It all began with an audacious ball from centre-back Gianluca Mancini, whose precision found Nicolo Zaniolo ready for the spotlight. With the deftest of touches, Zaniolo controlled the ball on his chest, nudged it past an onrushing Justin Bijlow, Feyenoord’s keeper, and brought the match to life in the 32nd minute. Roma took a slender but electrifying lead.
The players leapt up from the bench, their joy palpable. Yet one figure stayed still, eyes fixed, his expression unmoved: José Mourinho. The job was far from over, and he, more than anyone, knew the intensity required to see it through. With an hour remaining, the Italian side would be under siege.
Feyenoord retaliated with full force, striking the woodwork twice as Roma’s grip on their lead grew tenuous. Yet every strike, every shot on target was met by Rui Patricio’s unwavering presence in goal. Mourinho’s approach was characteristically stoic, tactical, and pragmatic—defensive solidity and counter-attacking poise. A strategy he had deployed time and again in his career. For him, there was pride in "building from the back," forcing opponents forward, only to punish their vulnerability on the counter. His detractors called it conservative; Mourinho called it effective. After all, a trophy speaks louder than tactics.
And so, as the final whistle sounded, history was made. Mourinho became just the second manager, after Giovanni Trapattoni, to claim five major European trophies, and Roma lifted their first continental title since 1961. Mourinho, the self-proclaimed “Special One,” now embodied something else in the eyes of the Roma faithful—a symbol of resilience and redemption.
Yet Mourinho’s path to greatness was anything but smooth. In 2000, he’d been thrust into the limelight at Benfica, succeeding Jupp Heynckes after just four weeks. Despite swift improvements under his command, club politics cut short his tenure when newly elected president Manuel Vilarinho opted to bring in his own man. It was a misstep that Vilarinho would later regret. Mourinho moved on to Uniao de Leiria, lifting a struggling side into the league's top-tier ranks. Soon after, he led FC Porto to unlikely European glory, his tactical prowess and charisma now impossible to ignore.
Porto’s historic triumph in 2004 cemented Mourinho as a force. But the ambitious Portuguese manager was only just beginning. Chelsea came next, a team with resources yet no clear roadmap to greatness. Mourinho laid the foundations for a team that would dominate the English Premier League, a blueprint for success that he would replicate across Europe with Inter Milan, Real Madrid, and Manchester United. But his defining trait was always this: the willingness to take on teams that needed rebuilding, to push them to their limits, and to make winners out of unlikely contenders.
His work at Roma proved no different. After a shattering 6-1 defeat to Bodo/Glimt, many speculated if the Mourinho era at Roma might unravel before it began. But adversity, for Mourinho, is fuel. He went back to basics, instilling unity in his squad and refocusing them on his ironclad defensive principles. The tactical system that emerged, blending a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3, became a natural fit for Roma’s young talents. Chris Smalling, Ibanez, and Gianluca Mancini formed a formidable trio in defence, while Tammy Abraham, Lorenzo Pellegrini, and Zaniolo shone in attack. Under Mourinho, even Henrikh Mkhitaryan—a player whose relationship with Mourinho had been strained at Manchester United—found fresh purpose.
Roma began to look different. Nicola Zalewski, once a central midfielder, flourished as a left winger, and Stephan El Shaarawy became a valuable substitute option, injecting pace and flair when needed. Mourinho’s pragmatism, as always, balanced his side, allowing youth to flourish with the reassurance of defensive discipline behind them.
It was the culmination of Mourinho’s tactical acumen and motivational prowess. The team stood transformed, defying expectations, and Tammy Abraham’s 27-goal haul was a testament to the renewed attacking freedom Mourinho inspired. "He is the best," Abraham exclaimed, and it was hard to argue otherwise. Roma’s victory wasn’t just Mourinho’s—it was a triumph of resilience, patience, and mastery of strategy.
Reflecting on his career, Mourinho noted, “It is one thing to win when everyone expects it, when you made the investments to win, but it’s quite another to win when something feels immortal, that feels truly special.” Indeed, he etched his name alongside Sir Alex Ferguson and Giovanni Trapattoni as one of the few to win titles in three different decades, a rare and extraordinary feat.
But as BT Sport’s Joe Cole suggested, this was just the beginning. Mourinho’s arrival had restored direction to Roma, rekindling belief in a club and a city where football is religion. His journey at Roma is ongoing, and one cannot help but feel that more triumphs await. As Mourinho retreats to the drawing board to plan Roma’s next steps, the Special One continues his quest—not for glory alone, but for greatness that transcends the trophy cabinet, leaving a lasting legacy on the sport.
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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