Fenerbahce have finally sacked their head coach Jose Mourinho. Indeed, this announcement follows just two days after the team’s painful elimination from the Champions League qualification playoff round against Benfica. So the surprise at Mourinho’s contract termination is zero. He faced many challenges in his early months in Istanbul, beginning with the 2024-2025 season.
For Mourinho, 62, his inability to bring consistent success to Fenerbahce proved his demise. His tenure at the club was marked by controversies. One of his most infamous brush-ups included a €50,000 fine he earned for sexist remarks following a derby match-up with Galatasaray. In that game, Mourinho really took aim at Turkish referees, accusing them of bias and even insinuating their integrity was questionable. The reaction to his remarks was quick, extensive and harsh condemnation from fans and media.
Tension flared to new extremes during a controversial incident last April. Following a 2-1 loss in the Turkish Cup quarterfinals, Mourinho fearlessly accosted Galatasaray’s manager, Okan Buruk, and grabbed him by the face. At one point during that confrontation, Mourinho even pinched Buruk’s nose. His actions ignited accusations that he had acted “against sporting ethics.” As widely reported by Al Jazeera and other news agencies, U.S.
Considering the recent events and seeing their playoff exit, Fenerbahce declared that Mourinho’s departure is official via a written statement. The club then expressed gratitude for all his work as head coach. They congratulated him and wished him well in his future pursuits.
“We thank Jose Mourinho for his contributions and wish him success in his future career.” – Fenerbahce Statement
For all the promise he initially delivered to the team, Mourinho’s era ended as disappointingly as it began. The club’s leadership will now look for a new head coach who can better align with Fenerbahce’s aspirations and restore its competitive edge.
