José Mourinho admitted he’ll miss watching Lionel Messi after the Argentina star announced his international retirement this week.
Messi, 39, confirmed his retirement on Monday, after captaining his country to the World Cup final this summer, having previously won the tournament in 2022.
Mourinho — who is now back at Real Madrid for his second spell in charge — faced Messi’s Barcelona for three seasons in LaLiga between 2010 and 2013 in a ferocious El Clásico rivalry.
“There are no words to describe his quality as a player,” Mourinho said on Thursday in a news conference, when asked about Messi’s departure from the international stage. “With what he did at the World Cup, at 39 years old … He’s a player we’ll miss. We’ll have to watch some MLS games to enjoy his last years, I don’t know if will be a season, or seasons.
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“He’s one of those players who, as I said the other day, you always miss. This [player], for our generation, over these last two decades, we all know what he represents.”
Mourinho was speaking ahead of Madrid’s LaLiga game with Real Betis on Friday, having collected nine points out of nine in the league so far this season.
The coach faced questions about defender Raúl Asencio, who was convicted of drink driving on Wednesday after being stopped by police in Gran Canaria last month.
Asencio, 23, is also facing trial this week over the alleged distribution of sexually explicit videos of a minor.
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“I spoke to him when I arrived, about things in the past,” Mourinho said . “At [Madrid’s training ground] Valdebebas, I’d say he’s an exemplary professional. When he’s been fit, nobody has trained better than him. Since being injured, he’s been the first to arrive, and the last to leave.
“But a Real Madrid player is an Real Madrid player 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 12 months a year. What you do outside your profession is still Real Madrid, and it hurts Real Madrid’s prestige, which is untouchable. What I’m saying is that I’m not happy. Everyone makes mistakes, but a series of mistakes is something else.
“The club has begun disciplinary proceedings, and for me as coach, while that process is ongoing I see him as a Real Madrid player. He’s injured, and he will be injured for a few weeks, minimum.”
Madrid’s opponents Betis are coached by Manuel Pellegrini, who also coincided with Mourinho during his first spell in LaLiga.
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Mourinho famously criticised Pellegrini — who was coaching Málaga having preceded Mourinho at the Bernabéu — and suggested that if Mourinho were to leave Madrid, he would join a bigger club.
“In the past there are moments, things you say or do, and you feel like an idiot,” Mourinho said on Thursday, when asked about the row.
“You feel you made a mistake. I had some words, some comments, that were very stupid, and I’m not proud of … He’s a great coach for me, an example as a coach, and a person. I like him a lot.”
