Jose Mourinho, the coach known as "The Special One," will release a documentary about his career on Netflix on Tuesday, August 11. In a trailer for the film, Mourinho criticizes coaches who take sabbaticals from their careers, sparking speculation that the comment was aimed at Pep Guardiola, his former rival in Spanish football.
In the trailer, Mourinho directly describes taking a break from coaching as a sign of weakness. The remark spread quickly given the long rivalry between the two coaches, and because Guardiola is currently on a break from the game.
Guardiola's sabbaticals
Guardiola, the former coach of Barcelona and Manchester City, is now in his second sabbatical period. His first ran from 2012 to 2013, after he left Barcelona and before he took charge of Bayern Munich.
A history of rivalry
Mourinho and Guardiola defined Spanish football in the early 2010s, facing off intensely and often controversially while leading Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively. Mourinho's comment has reignited discussion over how each coach has handled breaks in his career.
