José Mourinho and Wesley Sneijder have a lot of respect for each other, with the Dutch record international often stating that the coach was the best he encountered in his career. However, Mourinho doesn't believe that the playmaker from his successful team at Inter Milan should have won the Ballon d'Or.
José Mourinho, in a discussion on the FIVE! podcast hosted by Rio Ferdinand, a former Champions League winner himself, spoke highly of Wesley Sneijder's achievements in 2010, a year in which the Dutch midfielder played a pivotal role in Inter Milan's treble-winning campaign, securing the Champions League title and reaching the World Cup final with the Netherlands.
Mourinho pointed out that Sneijder's contributions during that period made him a strong contender for the Ballon d'Or, an award many fans believed he deserved. Despite these expectations, Sneijder finished fourth in the Ballon d'Or voting, trailing behind Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, and Xavi Hernández. Mourinho expressed his belief that Sneijder deserved to be ranked at least in the top three for that year's award.
Addressing the notion of Sneijder being "robbed" of the Ballon d'Or, as suggested by Rio Ferdinand, Mourinho offered a different perspective. He emphasized his reluctance to use such terminology, especially considering that Lionel Messi, who won the award that year, along with Cristiano Ronaldo, have been dominant figures in football. Mourinho stated, "I don't like using those words. Robbed? Who won that year, Lionel Messi? Then you are not robbed. Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi have dominated football. If they won that award, it was never stolen."
Moreover, Mourinho delved into the intense rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona during his tenure as the coach of Real Madrid, particularly highlighting the iconic El Clásico matches. He reminisced about the high-stakes battles between the two clubs, noting the presence of peak Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid and peak Lionel Messi at Barcelona. According to Mourinho, Barcelona was considered the best team in the world at the time, and his ambition was to challenge and change that narrative.
Mourinho reflected on the global attention El Clásico attracted during those years, acknowledging the immense pressure that came with the rivalry. "The whole world stood still whenever El Clásico was played in those years," he recalled, emphasizing the alternating victories between the two clubs across different seasons and describing the experience as "magnificent" but also highlighting the immense pressure involved in such high-profile encounters.
