- Mourinho used psychological tactics to motivate Eto'o before the 2010 Champions League match
- Eto'o scored the winning goal, sending Inter Milan through to the semifinals
- Mourinho’s individualized man-management played a key role in Inter’s success
The Champions League knockout rounds are in full swing, with Inter Milan heading to Stamford Bridge for the second leg of their tie against Chelsea, carrying a slender 2-1 advantage from the first leg at San Siro. Inter manager Jose Mourinho faces the challenge of protecting that lead against his former team.
Having won the Champions League with Porto in 2004, Mourinho’s European career since has been marked by near-misses, including the controversial 2005 semi-final defeat to Liverpool while managing Chelsea. Now, with a chance to prove himself again, Mourinho is deep into one of his signature psychological man-management tactics, hoping it will lead to success—though it could easily backfire.
Instead of making provocative remarks about his opponents or the referee, Mourinho reveals in a BBC Sport documentary, How to Win the Champions League: Jose Mourinho, that the real drama was unfolding internally, with one key player: Samuel Eto’o.
“Please Mr, Let Me Play”
Eto’o, eager to feature in the second-leg clash, had been pivotal in Inter’s progress through the knockout stages. Mourinho, however, knew the best way to motivate the Cameroonian striker was to push him to his limits—by telling him the opposite of what he wanted to hear.
Mourinho explained, “Psychology is part of the job… with players, yes. The way you deal with the press won’t win matches, but with the players? Yes. Each player is different. I treated Eto’o differently from others.”
Mourinho spent the week before the match confronting Eto’o with harsh words: “I’m not going to play you. You’re not performing, I don’t trust you.” Eto’o begged, “Please, Mr., let me play,” but Mourinho stood firm.
“It was one week of emotional work with him,” said Mourinho.
Eto’o’s Redemption
Mourinho’s manipulation paid off. Eto’o scored the only goal at Stamford Bridge, sending Inter to the Champions League quarter-finals and eventually helping them win the competition. Mourinho said, “Samuel won us that quarter-final. I knew he’d react the way he did because he’s a strong-minded guy.”
A Bullish Approach
The documentary highlights two of Mourinho’s most successful Champions League campaigns—Porto in 2004 and Inter in 2010. His intense, sometimes abrasive man-management style has faced scrutiny in recent years, particularly in his stints with Dele Alli at Tottenham and Paul Pogba at Manchester United.
However, Mourinho in 2010 was at his peak in extracting the best from his players. Eto’o, recalling their relationship, said, “Mourinho told me exactly what he needed. He wanted me to play a very disciplined role, and I respected him so much, I followed his instructions to the letter.”
Reflecting on his methods, Mourinho explained, “There’s no secret. It’s about understanding each player, knowing them as individuals. You can’t treat everyone the same way—like you wouldn’t educate two children the same, you have to treat players differently.”
