Jose Mourinho: Famous Manchester United moment cost him the Liverpool job to Rafa Benitez

Mourinho took on Manchester United during his time at Porto back in 2004.

The Red Devils had lost the first leg 2-1 in Portugal, but Paul Scholes’ goal at Old Trafford meant they were going through to the quarter-finals via the away goals rule.

However, a late goal from Costinha broke Red Devils hearts with Jose Mourinho then proceeding to sprint down the touchline with glee.

And the Independent say that Liverpool’s chief executive Rick Parry was an umimpressed onlooker and, ultimately, overlooked him for Gerard Houllier’s position. 

Liverpool were mulling over replacements for Houllier at the time.

The job would eventually go to Rafa Benitez, who would proceed to win them a historic fifth Champions League trophy in his first season in charge. 

But the Independent say Mourinho would have been given the nod had he not acted so boastful that evening.

It is said that Parry wanted someone in keeping with the club’s noble traditions. 

“One of our core values was respect,” Parry is quoted as saying in Simon Hughes’s book Ring of Fire. 

“Seeing Mourinho celebrate like that reinforced my initial belief… was he really a Liverpool manager? Did he characterise the club’s values?”

However, despite overlooking Mourinho, the decision has backfired.

Liverpool have won just two trophies in the time since Benitez landed them the European title.

Mourinho, contrastingly, has won 16.