Former Inter Milan defender Marco Materazzi believes that Jose Mourinho could have won more trophies at Inter Milan if he had stayed.
Materazzi who spoke to The Times, also recounted the infamous incident that saw him head-butted by France legend Zinedine Zidane at the 2006 World Cup final.
According to the legendary former Nerazzurri defender, if Mourinho had stayed at Inter beyond two seasons, the team could have kept their run going.
The Portuguese coach may have spent only two seasons at the Nerazzurri, but they were among the most memorable of Mourinho’s career. And the most memorable in Inter’s modern history.
In Mourinho’s second campaign at the helm, Inter won the Treble of the Serie A title, the Coppa Italia, and the Champions League.
The Champions League final against Bayern Munich was the final match that Mourinho coached Inter for.
And it was certainly a high note to bow out for the former Chelsea and Real Madrid coach.
Materazzi looked back on the team that won the Treble. “Sharing the pitch again with players like Julio Cesar, Maicon, Zanetti, Lucio, Sneijder, Cambiasso, Figo, Diego Milito gives me a mixture of happiness and nostalgia.”
“What I miss most is the dressing room,” Materazzi continued.
“That feeling of having a family outside of your own. People with whom you live every day, and with whom you share everything.”
Materazzi called Mourinho “The best coach I’ve ever had.”
“I was used to being important,” the 2006 World Cup winner said. “To being the captain. But when Mourinho came in I started to become less important to the team. But he was honest with me from the first moment,” Materazzi said of Mourinho.
Materazzi admitted that after the Champions League final against Bayern, “We cried.”
“I asked him why he was leaving. Why was he leaving me alone?”
“I was convinced that if he’d have stayed we could have continued to win, maybe not another Champions League. But more trophies.”
“But by that point he had already made his decision to go to Real Madrid.”
And regarding the infamous head-butt from Zidane, Materazzi said that “It doesn’t do justice to my career.”
“It should never have happened,” the former defender added.
“In the tension of the World Cup final, amid all the banter and insults, he offered me his shirt. I said no, I’d rather have his sister.
“And then he reacted the way everyone remembers,” Materazzi said, looking back on the infamous head-butt that saw the legendary Zidane sent off in the World Cup final.
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