Inter Milan Legend Looks Back: ‘If Jose Mourinho Had Stayed, We’d Have Kept Winning’

Legendary former Nerazzurri defender Marco Materazzi believes that Jose Mourinho could have won more trophies at Inter Milan if he’d stayed.

Materazzi spoke to The Times. He also recounted the infamous incident that saw him headbutted by France, Juventus, and Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane at the 2006 World Cup final.

Mourinho is a man who needs no introduction at Inter.

The Portuguese coach may have spent only two seasons at the Nerazzurri.

But they were among the most memorable of Mourinho’s career. And the most memorable in Inter’s modern history.

In Mourinho’s second campaign at the helm, Inter won the Treble of the Serie A title, the Coppa Italia, and the Champions League.

The Champions League final against Bayern Munich was the final match that Mourinho coached Inter for.

And it was certainly a high note to bow out on for the former Chelsea and Real Madrid coach.

However, in the view of former defender Materazzi, if Mourinho had stayed, the team could have kept their run going.

Materazzi: Jose Mourinho Could’ve Won More At Inter If He’d Stayed

Materazzi looked back on the team that won the Treble.

“Sharing the pitch again with players like Julio Cesar, Maicon, Zanetti, Lucio, Sneijder, Cambiasso, Figo, Diego Milito gives me a mixture of happiness and nostalgia.”

“What I miss most is the dressing room,” Materazzi continued.

“That feeling of having a family outside of your own. {eople with whom you live every day, and with whom you share everything.”

Materazzi called Mourinho “The best coach I’ve ever had.”

“I was used to being important,” the 2006 World Cup winner said. “To being the captain.”

“But when Mourinho came in I started to become less important to the team.”

“But he was honest with me from the first moment,” Materazzi said of Mourinho.

Materazzi admitted that after the Champions League final against Bayern, “We cried.”

“I asked him why he was leaving. Why was he leaving me alone?”

“I was convinced that if he’d have stayed we could have continued to win, maybe not anpother Champions League. But more trophies.”

“But by that point he had already made his decision to go to Real Madrid.”

And regarding the infamous headbutt from Zidane, Materazzi said that “It doesn’t do justice to my career.”

“It should never have happened,” the former defender added.

“In the tension of the Berlin [World Cup] final, amid all the banter and insults, he offered me his shirt. I said no, I’d rather have his sister.”