Only two Real Madrid players featured in Jose Mourinho’s strongest XI consisting of players he has managed during his illustrious career.
Mourinho coached Madrid between 2010 and 2013, winning the league title and Copa del Rey during his time in the Spanish capital but only two players defined during that time have made his ideal XI, as outlined by El Mundo Deportivo.
The Portuguese boss arrived in Madrid with a formidable reputation having enjoyed great success at FC Porto, Chelsea and Inter, but he fell short of bringing European glory back to Los Blancos.
Mesut Ozil – who Madrid sold to Arsenal the same summer that Mourinho left the club – is included in the XI, while Cristiano Ronaldo is also unsurprisingly included.
Ricardo Carvalho, who spent three years with Mourinho at Madrid, is also in the line-up but with just 50 league outings in three seasons, he was a bit-part player in that time and is included due to his successes under the boss at Porto and Chelsea.
Indeed, the team is dominated by Blues players – eight of the XI played under Mourinho at Stamford Bridge, with Inter full-back Javier Zanetti also named.
Key Madrid players such as Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso, Iker Casillas and Angel Di Maria are among the stars omitted.
Mourinho’s ideal XI: Petr Cech; Javier Zanetti, John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, William Gallas; Claude Makelele, Frank Lampard, Mesut Ozil, Eden Hazard; Didier Drogba, Cristiano Ronaldo.