‘Throw the first pillow’ - Jose Mourinho the ringleader for bus banter as Inter legend Wesley Sneijder reveals what ‘The Special One’ is like to work with

Former Netherlands international Sneijder played under ‘The Special One’ at Inter, savouring Serie A and Champions League title glory together. Mourinho has also enjoyed considerable success with the likes of Porto, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Roma.

He is currently calling the shots at Turkish side Fenerbahce, and has often cut a frustrated figure during his time in Istanbul. The 62-year-old is, however, famed for forging a spirit in his ranks that unites those at his disposal in a battle against the world.

Mourinho can be unconventional in his methods at times, with winning by any means necessary having always been his approach. He is a demanding character, but also likes to have fun in a bid to generate a relaxed camp that frees players to express themselves.

Sneijder has told BetMGM of playing under Mourinho: “If I compare Jose to the rest of the coaches in my career, he was unique.

“Usually, coaches or managers are the leaders of the team, they set the example – every time on a plane or a bus, the coach would most often sit at the front. Mourinho wouldn’t do that. He would sit in the middle with all of us and he was the one who would throw the first pillow at someone or pull the first joke when we landed.

“I remember when we played Chelsea away in the Champions League and a couple of days before the game, he told all of the team to bring our partners with us on the plane. We were a bit confused but did what we were asked. I remember he sat down next to me and my partner.

“I was very relaxed and Jose said ‘Wes, you’re very quiet. Normally you talk a lot but you are very quiet today’. He knew how relaxed I was and he was just brilliant with everyone, whether it was your partner or kids, he just knew what worked.”

Sneijder added: “He had this amazing thing of always knowing the birthday of every family member – it might seem such a small thing but it made such a difference to all of us.

“It didn’t matter what the game was, it could be a final or a pre-season match, he just got it right. Before the Champions League final, our suit sponsor wanted all of us to travel to Madrid in the same colour suit because it was a final and we should look smart.

“Mourinho said that because we’d been to all the cities in the previous rounds and won wearing whatever we wanted – or, as he called it, ‘like gypsies’ – we should ‘go to the final like gypsies’. One player went in shorts, one went in trousers, it didn’t matter because we had won like this before – why change it?”

Sneijder and Mourinho will be among the interested observers when Inter grace another Champions League final on Saturday, with the Nerazzurri preparing to lock horns with Paris Saint-Germain at the Allianz Arena in Munich.