Jose Mourinho has been officially presented as Fenerbahçe’s new coach, receiving a stunning welcome.
The club from Istanbul’s Kadıköy district held a special ceremony at their Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium this evening, attended by thousands of fans.
Throughout Sunday, Fenerbahçe stormed social media with photos and videos of Mourinho making his way to Istanbul, exploring the city across the Bosphorus and from the air.
“Hello everyone, I want to start by thanking you for all your love,” Mourinho said during the presentation.
“The love I feel from the first moment my name was linked with Fenerbahçe. Normally, a coach is loved after victories.
“In this case, I feel loved before these victories. That is a great responsibility for me, and I promise you that I belong to this family, that this shirt is my skin.”
Mourinho signed his contract alongside chairman Ali Koç and in front of thousands of supporters.
‘The Special One’ was welcomed with his own song, while a pitch-invader received a picture and a big grin from Mourinho as thanks, as well as a lap of honour along the well-filled stands.
The Portuguese coach also whipped up the crowd by waving the Fenerbahçe jersey.
Fenerbahçe finished second in the Süper Lig last season with an incredible 99 points, three less than champions Galatasaray.
These 99 points would have given Fenerbahçe the Super Lig record, were it not for the fact that their arch-rivals stayed one step ahead of them.
After the end of the season, Fenerbahçe said goodbye to coach İsmail Kartal, who completed his third spell at the club after signing a one-year contract in June 2023.
Mourinho had been without a club since January 2024 after his dismissal from AS Roma and was announced as Fenerbahçe’s new coach on Saturday night during the Champions League final.
