Jose Mourinho Reveals Lionel Messi Made Him Grow the Most as a Manager

Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho has revealed that Lionel Messi is the player who pushed him the most in his managerial career.

Messi, regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, has shared countless iconic battles with Mourinho across Europe’s biggest stages.

The Portuguese tactician first saw Messi in action when the Argentine made his first-team debut for Barcelona in a friendly against Mourinho’s Porto in November 2003. From there, the pair’s paths crossed repeatedly — in LaLiga during Mourinho’s fiery reign at Real Madrid, and in memorable Champions League clashes with Chelsea and Inter Milan.

Speaking to Sporty Net, Mourinho admitted that Messi was the ultimate test:

“Messi, because every time I played against him he forced me to think a lot.”

Opinion

Mourinho’s admission is both humbling and telling. For a manager who has faced — and beaten — some of the world’s best, to single out Messi as his greatest challenge highlights just how transformative the Argentine has been to modern football.

Messi didn’t just score goals against Mourinho’s teams; he redefined how opponents prepared. Mourinho, known for his meticulous tactical setups, often devised entire game plans just to limit Messi’s influence. Yet, even at his most defensive, Messi always found a way to shine — whether through a darting run, a genius pass, or a decisive goal.

What’s beautiful here is the mutual legacy: Messi helped shape Mourinho, and Mourinho’s tactics helped push Messi to even greater heights. Their duels weren’t just matches — they were football chess games at the highest level.

In a way, Mourinho’s respect for Messi reflects what every football fan has felt: Messi didn’t just challenge defenders or coaches, he challenged the game itself.