Eto’o Reveals What Mourinho Told Him After Inter Won 2010 Champions League
Cameroonian football legend has recalled what Jose Mourinho told him moments after he helped Inter Milan beat Bayern Munich 2-0 to lift the 2010 UEFA Champions League title at Madrid’s Bernabeu Stadium.
Eto’o had just left Barcelona in 2009 after an incredible season where he had won the treble. The trio of Lionel Messi (38 goals), Eto’o (36 goals) and Thierry Henry (26 goals) scored exactly 100 goals between them in the club’s historic treble year.
In the 2010 Champions League finals, Eto’o became the only player to win the treble in consecutive seasons with two different teams. Milito scored both goals with Eto’o assisting the second as Inter won the tournament. It was after the match that Mourinho ran to him in celebrations and reminded him what the win meant.
“After the final whistle, José Mourinho ran towards me and showed me four fingers. He said to me: Eto’o, it’s been four times you’ve won the Champions League but it’s incredible. It was a pity that it was his last match before joining Real Madrid,” he told Bein Sports.
Eto’o also paid tribute to the Portuguese gaffer saying that he liked his work ethics and professionalism. He also embraced the new wing role assigned to him by Mourinho.
“Yes, I played on the wing during this final but the reality is that I played in all positions at Inter Milan. But the most important thing for me was to win. José Mourinho has something about the approach of a match that some coaches do not have. In terms of motivation, it is unique. I worked with a lot of coaches but José Mourinho as the games approached, he became someone else. But sometimes he loses his mind,” he added.