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Wesley Sneijder has told the incredible story of how Jose Mourinho predicted the 2010 UEFA Champions League scoreline two weeks in advance.
Sneijder (now retired) played under Mourinho at Inter Milan and was part of the side that beat Bayern Munich 2-0 in the final. Diego Milito's brace made history for the Nerazzurri as they also claimed a continental treble. However, more astounding is the revelation that Sneijder's coach correctly predicted the final score two weeks before.
The Dutchman has revealed that the Portuguese coach handed defender Marco Materazzi a letter but instructed him not to open it until after the final. Sneijder began his story, telling sportBIBLE:
"He called Materazzi in his office, like two weeks before the game. And he wrote something on the paper, he put it in an envelope, and he gave it to him. And he said, like, open it after the game in the dressing room after the final. So that's what he did."
Materazzi opened the letter to reveal the scoreline of 2-0 correctly written down by the legendary tactician:
"The score was there - 2-0. He is so intelligent because he knew exactly what to do this in this game. Obviously, you need to be lucky as well to put 2-0 for me, it's not a surprise because he knew everything."
Mourinho's genius cannot be understated as he has found success pretty much everywhere he's gone. The AS Roma boss has won titles in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and England. He has coached the likes of Inter, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Chelsea.
The Portuguese has achieved some memorable feats during his managerial career. However, the 2010 Champions League triumph coinciding with a treble is perhaps his greatest.
The Nerazzurri lost just four games in Serie A that season, beating his current club Roma to the title by two points. They also stormed their way to the Coppa Italia, beating his current employers again 1-0 at the Stadio Olimpico in the final.
Mourinho claims his greatest achievement was Manchester United's second-place finish in 2017-18
Mourinho has been a managerial magician, weaving his magic throughout Europe. Champions League glory, league triumphs, and a treble, he has done it all.
However, the enigmatic Portuguese coach boldly claimed back in 2019 that guiding Manchester United to second was his greatest accomplishment. That occurred in the 2017-18 Premier League season and there was friction between him and the higher-ups at Old Trafford. He told ESPN:
"If I tell you, for example, that I consider one of the best jobs of my career was to finish second with Man United in the Premier League."
He continued by alluding to the problems ensuing at United behind closed doors:
"I keep saying this because people don't know what is going on behind the scenes."
Mourinho replaced Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford in 2016 with the Red Devils still feeling the aftershock of Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013. He immediately brought the Red Devils' European trophy drought to an end within a year of arriving. He won the Europa League in 2017 with a 2-0 victory over Ajax and also won the League Cup. The legendary tactician left Manchester United in December 2018 but is still held in high regard by fans.
