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Jose Mourinho, before rising to Champions League glory with Porto and beyond, was a PE teacher at Escola Secundaria Zeca Afonso near Lisbon.
Armenio Anjos, a former student, recalls Mourinho's impactful teaching style, even back then. Anjos admired Mourinho's directness and respect-demanding approach, which was evident in his early 20s.
Mourinho's Lasting Impression
Mourinho's influence extended beyond football strategy, instilling a deep sense of respect and discipline in his students. Anjos vividly remembers how Mourinho emphasized the importance of physical education and maintained a personal connection with students, often interacting with them outside of class.
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Speaking to SunSport, Anjos said: “Jose Mourinho was my PE teacher for one year before he went to Sporting. “He was 23 or 24, I was 14 or 15. I didn't expect Mourinho to be what he is now.
“He was the same. It's one thing I love about him: Mourinho has never changed. He is always in your face. Whatever he thinks about you, he will tell you.
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“I love him. I have never stopped loving him, even at school. I was not the only one. There was a lot of people like me who loved him but a lot of people hated him. It's like now.
“Even at that time, a lot of my schoolmates said, 'This guy is too rude for me.'
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From PE Teacher to Renowned Manager
Tracking Mourinho's career from his start as Sir Bobby Robson’s translator at Sporting, Anjos remains a devoted admirer.
Mourinho’s journey through Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham, and now Roma, collecting 20 trophies, has been a source of inspiration for Anjos.
Speaking of how he has followed Mourinho’s career, he said: “Just to show you how much I love him, Real Madrid’s first game in the 2012-13 season was home to Valencia.
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“I was on holiday in the Algarve. On the Saturday afternoon, I told my wife we were going to watch Real Madrid tomorrow.
“She said, 'What? It's 40C and you want to drive from here to Madrid just to watch Mourinho?'
“I said, ‘Wherever he goes, I am going.’ I bought tickets for seven people, we had a seven-seater car. It took eight hours. We got there ten minutes after kick-off because I was looking for parking.
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“We went in, watched the game, it was a draw. Then we drove back for another eight hours.
“Then after Real Madrid lost in the 2013 Champions League semi-finals against Borussia Dortmund, Mourinho was on his knees.
“I felt so sorry for him and felt I had to support him so the Sunday after I flew to Madrid, went to Santiago Bernabeu, paid £300 for a ticket to see Real Madrid beat Sevilla then took the plane back.
“I was there to watch Mourinho, I don't care about Madrid. For that man, I will do more than I would for my kids.”
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Anjos' Journey Inspired by Mourinho
Inspired by Mourinho, Anjos switched from basketball to football, eventually becoming a coach. He manages Barking FC’s Under-18s and instils in his players the same work ethic and passion he learned from Mourinho.
Anjos’ coaching style, including celebratory knee slides, is deeply influenced by Mourinho’s iconic methods. “Mourinho is the greatest manager ever. He is amazing.
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I love him, I just love him so much, said Anjos. “The way he talked so passionately made me have a go at football. “I show the boys a lot of videos and most of them are Mourinho. I do speeches like him.
“I did a kneeslide once. We went to play in Kent last season and we were down 1-0 then in the last second, one of our guys scored from outside the box - that was my moment.”
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