Jose: “The FA Cup will always be special”

From watching the final at home as a young football fan in Portugal to lifting the trophy at Wembley and then travelling to eighth-tier Marine in the third round, the FA Cup will always hold a special place in Jose Mourinho’s heart.

Jose’s first taste of the competition was a home tie for Chelsea against Scunthorpe over 15 years ago, back in 2004/05. He led the Blues to the semi-finals in his second season and lifted the trophy in 2007, having toppled us in a dramatic quarter-final that went to a replay after a 3-3 draw at the Bridge.

He experienced the other side of the coin in his second spell at Chelsea when the Blues were beaten by League One Bradford City in the fourth round and then took Manchester United to the final, via Yeovil, in 2018.

Throw in a trip to Marine this season and, as we prepare to travel to Championship side Wycombe in round four on Monday (7.45pm), Jose’s just about seen it all.

“When I won it, I felt amazing feelings because it brought me back to the times when Portugal stopped,” recalled Jose. “There weren’t many matches, foreign matches, on TV and the FA Cup Final was always there.

“It brought me back as a kid to getting in love with some clubs, with some players, unforgettable moments, the memories of my dad, and, for me, the FA Cup will always be the FA Cup, for me, always special. However, I don’t like it too much when the giant that is killed is my team!”