- Jose Mourinho has stated that Claudio Ranieri is worthy of being included in the list of the greatest managers in history
- The Fenerbahce manager made the statement after being asked to choose between football legends Sir Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola
- Italian manager Claudio Ranieri and Leicester City stunned the odds to win the league in 2016, arguably the most remarkable sporting achievement of the 21st century
Jose Mourinho has paid tribute to Pep Guardiola and Sir Alex Ferguson, but named one coach who he believes deserves even more admiration than the two legendary figures.
Mourinho, Ferguson, and Guardiola have won 22 Premier League titles and are considered icons in the English football scene.
The Portuguese stated that Claudio Ranieri should be included in that conversation for helping Leicester City achieve the impossible.
Why did José Mourinho refer to Claudio Ranieri as the Greatest of All Time?
When speaking to former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, the Fenerbahce boss praised Ranieri highly when asked to choose between Guardiola and Ferguson.
It's impossible to compare," he said via Leicester City News. "It's impossible to compare generations. It's impossible to compare the potential to do things, you know. The most legendary one for the Premier League title is Ranieri.
He then explained why the Italian strategist stands out above many other legendary coaches.
“Winning five or six championships with United or Manchester City is a great achievement, but... When you win with Leicester City, there are no qualifications or doubts. For me, it was the most incredible trophy I could witness and experience firsthand.”
Ranieri managed Leicester from 2015 to 2017. In 2016, the Foxes achieved a historic upset by winning the Premier League.
Under Ranieri's guidance, Leicester City's players were able to gel together and perform at their best, often against all odds. The team's attacking flair and defensive solidity made them a force to be reckoned
Claudio Ranieri's Leicester City team made a stunning upset by winning the Premier League title against all expectations.
In the 2014/15 campaign, Leicester City narrowly avoided relegation with a remarkable late-season surge. Nevertheless, they replaced manager Nigel Pearson with Claudio Ranieri in July 2015.
The Italian team employed a 4-4-2 formation with Jamie Vardy and Shinji Okazaki as their forwards. Riyad Mahrez was their primary playmaker, while N'Golo Kante was their driving force in the midfield.
They suffered three defeats in the league, while defeating Manchester City and Liverpool, and ultimately secured 81 points from a total of 38 games, having won 23, drawn 12, and lost just three.
It's an incredible feeling and I'm extremely happy for everyone," said the Italian to BBC Sport. "I'm a down-to-earth person - I just wanted to win match after match. Never did I think too much about where it would take us.
Ferguson and Guardiola's dominance
Since the start of the 21st century, Ferguson, Guardiola, and Mourinho have collectively won 17 Premier League titles. The Spaniard has won the last four.
Mourinho has won three titles, the last one being in 2015, whereas Ferguson secured his last title in 2013, a year before his retirement.
Ferguson's 13 titles are unmatched and only Guardiola (6) could eventually match this record.
A Supercomputer Forecasts the Premier League Champion
It was previously reported that Opta's supercomputer predicted the 2025 Premier League winner after Liverpool suffered a setback at Aston Villa.
Their chances of winning the title decreased to 84.7% from 85.8%, while Arsenal's chances increased to 15.2%.