Croatia and AC Milan midfielder Luka Modric revealed on Wednesday that Jose Mourinho was an exceptionally demanding manager during their tenure at Real Madrid, so much so that he once brought star player Cristiano Ronaldo to tears.
“I witnessed him making Cristiano Ronaldo cry in the locker room, a player who gives everything on the field, simply because he didn’t chase the opposing full-back on that occasion,” Modric told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
Ronaldo, now 40 and currently playing for Al Nassr, was under Mourinho’s management at Madrid from 2010 to 2013. Modric’s account of this emotional moment highlights the tumultuous dynamic they had, which was thoroughly explored in a biography of Ronaldo published by seasoned Spanish journalist Guillem Balagué in 2015.
Modric shared a pitch with Ronaldo at Real Madrid for six seasons under various coaches, including Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Zinedine Zidane, and Rafa Benitez.
During his nine years with Los Blancos, Ronaldo secured five Ballon d’Or titles and achieved remarkable success, including four Champions League victories, three Club World Cups, and two each of the UEFA Super Cup, LaLiga titles, Copas del Rey, and Spanish Super Cups.
Mourinho was responsible for signing Modric from Tottenham Hotspur, and their collaboration yielded the Spanish Super Cup, emphasizing Modric’s significant influence on Madrid’s future.
Despite some tense moments, Modric referred to Mourinho as “special.”
“As both a coach and an individual. He was the one who wanted me at Real Madrid,” Modric expressed. “Without Mourinho, I wouldn’t have had that opportunity. I regret only having him for one season.”
Mourinho earned his infamous moniker after his first news conference with Chelsea in 2004, where he declared, “Please don’t call me arrogant, but I’m a European champion, so I think I’m a special one.”
Modric, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2018, had an illustrious 13-season career with Madrid, helping the club capture 28 titles: six European Cups, six Club World Cups, five European Super Cups, six Champions League titles, four LaLiga titles, two Copas del Rey, and five Spanish Super Cups.
He also led Croatia to the World Cup final in 2018, while winning the Champions League with Real Madrid in the same year.
At 40, Modric signed a one-year contract with AC Milan in May after spending 12 seasons at Madrid.
He remarked that Milan’s coach, Massimiliano Allegri, shares similarities with Mourinho in coaching style.
“Mourinho is very straightforward with the players, yet honest,” Modric noted. “He treated Sergio Ramos and newcomers equitably: if he had feedback to deliver, he would. Max exhibits the same approach: he provides direct feedback on what’s right and wrong. Honesty is key.”
The Serie A club rehired Allegri earlier this year. He clinched his first Italian league title with Milan in 2011, and later led Juventus to five consecutive titles from 2015 to 2019.
Mourinho, now 62, took the helm of Portuguese side Benfica on a provisional two-year contract this past September after his dismissal from Fenerbahce.
– Cristiano Ronaldo goal tracker: Road to 1,000 career goals
– Stats: Ronaldo hits 40 for 14th time
– Ronaldo equals his Juventus goal record – but misses a personal best
During his career, he recorded 26 major trophies with FC Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, and AS Roma, along with a 17-month stint at Tottenham Hotspur. He captured the Champions League titles with Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan in 2010.
Modric departed from Real Madrid just shy of his 600th appearance, landing eighth on the club’s all-time list.
Portugal captain Ronaldo, who is under contract at Al Nassr for two more years, has expressed his ambition to reach 1,000 career goals before retiring.
This past weekend, he netted his 956th goal in his team’s 3-0 victory over Al Okhdood, holding the record for the most international goals with 141 in 223 appearances for Portugal.