Why José Mourinho was sacked

29.08.2025 - 10:05 | source: Transfermarkt | Reading Time: 4 mins

Expert insight

Drama in Türkiye - Why José Mourinho was sacked by Fenerbahçe after crazy Istanbul spell

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José Mourinho has been sacked as Fenerbahçe boss in a shock development just two games into the Süper Lig season. It arrived just days after the Turkish giants failed to qualify for the Champions League at the hands of Benfica and Fener confirmed their decision in a short statement on Friday morning. It read: “Our Professional Football First Team's technical director, Jose Mourinho, who has been carrying out his duties starting from the 2024-2025 season, has parted ways with us. We thank him for his efforts for our team until today and wish him success in his future career.”

Staff J. Mourinho Age: 62 Fenerbahce All seasons -

All competitions Games 62 Won 37 Draw 14 Lost 11

Mourinho certainly wasn’t expecting the decision as he spoke about his belief that Fener could enjoy success in the Europa League after their Champions League elimination. Earlier this week, there was also a bizarre incident when Mourinho claimed that he ‘didn’t know’ who Fenerbahçe vice-president Hamdi Akin was despite the 71-year-old billionaire leaping to his defence last season amid racism allegations and these remarks are understood to have been a factor. With expert insight from our Transfermarkt colleagues in Türkiye, we’ve analysed what went wrong for Mourinho and what the future holds.

Why José Mourinho was sacked

Istanbul is one of the most passionate footballing cities on the planet with the fierce rivalry between Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray dominating the agenda. Mourinho was unveiled in a special ceremony at the Sukru Saracouglu Stadium and his debut season was naturally packed with drama. The ex-Fener boss was booked 20 minutes in his first game, sent-off against former club Manchester United, successfully drafted a foreign ref for the Intercontinental Derby, before ‘twisting’ the nose of Gala boss Okan Buruk in that game.

While Mourinho dominated the headlines in Turkey, Galatasaray dominated on the pitch as they clinched their third consecutive title, finishing nine points ahead of their fierce rivals - Gala also won the Turkish Cup. It’s now 11 years since Fenerbahçe won their last title and the pressure had intensified on Mourinho to deliver success this season. The Istanbul giants dropped points in the opening game of the Super Lig season to Goztepe and already trailed Gala by two points but losing to Benfica was the final straw.

On Fener’s decision, Lara Karacan, Transfermarkt’s Super Lig expert, said: “After missing out on the championship last season, Mourinho was already in a difficult position at Fenerbahçe. But now that the team has dropped points in the first game of the season and failed to qualify for the Champions League, sporting reasons will be cited for his dismissal. However, I also think that there was a political reason. During the transfer window and especially in the press conference before the Benfica game, Mourinho criticized the board, the transfer policy, and the quality of the squad. The combination of the sporting crisis at the beginning of the season and the internal unrest led to Mourinho's dismissal.”

What is next for José Mourinho?

Mourinho is undisputedly one of the most iconic managers of all time and many would include him amongst the best in history. The self-entitled ‘Special One’ is absolutely box-office and his charisma, confidence and humour make him completely compelling. Mourinho’s achievement of winning back-to-back European titles with Porto will realistically never be emulated given the financial supremacy of the biggest clubs.

After his success at Porto, Mourinho swaggered into Stamford Bridge and changed the landscape of English football, winning Chelsea’s first title in 50 years. The enigmatic Portuguese manager will always be synonymous with the Blues but he’s managed several European giants in Manchester United, Inter Milan and Real Madrid. Mourinho is one of only five managers to win the Champions League with two clubs and won eight league titles, but the 62-year-old hasn’t won a league title in ten years and what does the future hold for the legendary boss?

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