Football icon José Mourinho has reignited his long-standing rivalry with Arsène Wenger, mocking the former Arsenal manager after being left out of Wenger’s latest book.
Speaking during an interview with beIN Sports, Mourinho took a cheeky swipe at the Frenchman, claiming his omission was deliberate because Wenger “never managed to beat” him during their fierce Premier League battles.
“He didn’t mention me in his book because he never defeated me,” Mourinho said with a grin. “You don’t write a chapter about someone who always beat you.”
The comment refers to the managers’ intense rivalry during Wenger’s tenure at Arsenal and Mourinho’s spells with Chelsea and later Manchester United. Between 2004 and 2018, Wenger faced Mourinho 19 times — managing only one win, alongside several draws and a string of high-profile defeats.
Wenger’s book, “My Life in Red and White,” chronicles his managerial journey and philosophies but notably omits detailed discussions of his clashes with Mourinho, which were among the Premier League’s most dramatic storylines.
Mourinho, never one to shy away from mind games, added with typical bravado that he has “no hard feelings” but enjoys reminding people of their shared history.
“It’s part of football,” he continued. “We had great matches, a lot of emotion. But facts are facts.”
The Portuguese coach’s remarks have reignited debate among fans about one of football’s most famous managerial rivalries — a battle defined by sharp words, touchline tension, and contrasting philosophies that shaped an era of the Premier League.
