Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.
Jose Mourinho revealed he “couldn’t believe” he was sacked by Tottenham just days ahead of the EFL Cup final in 2021.
The 63-year-old was appointed Spurs boss in November 2019, taking over from Mauricio Pochettino, as the Premier League side looked to end their trophy drought.
Prior to their Europa League triumph in 2025, Spurs had not won a trophy since their 2008 EFL Cup victory, though their barren run looked to be coming to an end under Mourinho.
The Portuguese coach won 44 of his 86 games in charge (D19 L23), seeing his side score 166 goals across those matches and concede 103.
Mourinho was set to lead Spurs against Manchester City in the EFL Cup showpiece in 2021, but he was sacked just six days before the final, with Ryan Mason appointed as interim boss.
Spurs went on to lose the final 1-0 at Wembley Stadium, and Mourinho believes the club prioritised qualifying for Champions League football over winning trophies, which led to his dismissal.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Mourinho told the Beast Mode On podcast. “I know that the final was at an almost empty Wembley [due to Covid-19].
“Man City will have a couple of thousand fans, split by the whole north or south side of Wembley, Tottenham just a couple of thousand.
This is why we wear it pic.twitter.com/48NYXxrphF
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) June 20, 2026
“So it was an empty Wembley, not that big feeling of Wembley. But it was a final.
“It was a final in a moment where Tottenham had no trophies. At this moment, yes, they won the Europa League, but at that time, nothing. It was Harry Kane, zero titles, Son [Heung-min], zero titles, Hugo Lloris, with Tottenham, zero titles.
“I was up to it [managing Spurs in the final]. I remember we played in that week, we should play Southampton before the final, and my focus was totally on the final. So it was a shock.
“I think it was a kind of contradiction because for them [the club] the final didn’t matter much, [but] for me and the players it meant everything.”
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