‘I nearly attacked him’: Ex Real Madrid star opens up on spat with Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho is often ranked among the best football managers in history but the Portuguese has also become popular for his antics on and off the pitch.

Former Arsenal and Real Madrid star Mesut Ozil has now revealed that Jose Mourinho launched into a furious tirade against him while the duo were at Real Madrid.

Jose Mourinho coached Ozil at Real Madrid with both parties winning trophies and creating great memories. Ozil, during his stay in Spain won La Liga and the Copa del Rey under Mourinho and became a mainstay in Madrid’s first XI.

However, there were days both parties were not in good terms. Speaking on his tumultuous relationship with Mourinho, Ozil lifted the lid on the fiery encounter which began after Jose Mourinho expressed his dismay with the player’s first-half performance during a league match with Deportivo La Coruña.

Jose Mourinho gives instructions to Mesut Ozil during their time at Real Madrid (Photo by Angel Martinez/Real Madrid via Getty Images)

Ozil claims he instigated the back-and-forth by asking the two-time Champions League winning coach what he wanted from him. “I want you to play as well as you can,” Mourinho hit back at Ozil.

Mourinho then added: “I want you to go into tackles like a man. Do you know what it looks like when you tackle? No? Let me show you.”

Ozil then described a surreal scene where Mourinho stood on his tiptoes, thrust his arms down by his sides, pursed his lips and walked around the dressing room in a mocking manner.

Ozil wrote in his book: “He (Mourinho) gets more and more fixated. His heart rate is probably 180. Mine’s 200 for sure. Then I’ve really had enough. I can’t hold back any longer.

“My southern temperament is overwhelming me. “If you’re so great, why don’t you get out there and play yourself?” I scream now, ripping off my jersey and hurling it at his feet. “Here. Put it on. Off you go.”

He then claimed Mourinho laughed at him “spitefully” before branding him a “coward”. In an unusual method of inspiring motivation, Mourinho then said: “What do you want? To crawl under a nice, warm shower? Shampoo your hair? Be on your own? Or do you want to show your teammates, the fans out there, and me what you’re capable of?”

Ozil then elaborated that he was close to physically retaliating against the Portuguese coach: “I’m so p****d off. I’d love to chuck my boots at his head. I want him to stop. To leave me in peace finally.”

Mourinho them continued to mock the World Cup winner adding: “Cry if you like, Sob away, You’re such a baby. Go and take a shower. We don’t need you.”

The ex-Porto boss then delivered his final insult as he stated: “You’re not Zinedine Zidane, you know. No, Never, You’re not even in the same league.”

Ozil went on to admit that Mourinho’s words hurt him greatly as the ex-Spurs boss knew how much Ozil admired the Real Madrid icon, he says in the book: “Those last words of his are like a stab to the heart. Mourinho knows exactly what he’s saying. He knows how much I admire that player. He knows the Frenchman is the only footballer I truly look up to.”