A new documentary chronicles the career and public persona of Portuguese football manager José Mourinho.
The three-part series, Mourinho, is streaming on Netflix from today (11 August 2026).
Filmed over two years, the documentary charts Mourinho’s rise through some of Europe’s leading football clubs. He rose to international prominence after leading FC Porto to victory in the UEFA Champions League, Europe’s leading club competition, in 2004.
His greatest success came when he managed Chelsea, where he became the “Special One”, before moving on to Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
His career includes league titles in four countries and two UEFA Champions League victories. His success was accompanied by an outspoken public style that generated headlines throughout his career.
The “Special One” nickname became associated with Mourinho after he described himself as “a special one” when he joined Chelsea in 2004.
“I started winning in 2003, and my last title was 2022,” he says. “So, it was 20 years winning.”
The documentary includes interviews with former players, coaches, rivals and club executives who encountered Mourinho during different stages of his career. They include Sir Alex Ferguson, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Iker Casillas and Luis Figo.
Personal memorabilia featured in the production includes boots dedicated to Mourinho by Diego Maradona and Cristiano Ronaldo’s first professional shirt from Sporting CP.
While South African footballer Benni McCarthy shared a historic player-manager bond, highlighted by their 2004 UEFA Champions League victory at FC Porto, he is not a featured participant.
Ventureland produced the documentary, which is produced by John Battsek, a producer on Beckham and a two-time Academy Award winner, and Miles Coleman.
BAFTA- and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Joe Pearlman directed the series. His previous work includes Robbie Williams, Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now and Bros: After the Screaming Stops.